Structural Characterization and Mechanical Properties of As-plated and Heat Treated Electroless Ni-B-P Alloy Coatings

The Ni-B-P alloy coatings were made autocatalytically (electroless) using an alkaline plating bath with nickel chloride hexahydrate (NiCl2.6H2O) as the source of nickel ions, sodium borohydride (NaBH4) and sodium hypophosphite (NaH2PO2) as reducing agents and source of boron and phosphorous ions, respectively. The effects of bath concentrations on the plating rate, composition of coating, surface morphology, structural features and microhardness have been studied by varying NaBH4 concentration in the plating bath from 0.2 to 0.8 g/l while keeping NaH2PO2 concentration constant (12 g/l). The plating rate and boron content of the electroless Ni-B-P ternary alloy coatings increased with increasing NaBH4 concentration in the plating bath. The scanning electron microscopic images revealed that the morphology of the coating changed from corn cob structure to coarse cauliflower structure with increasing borohydride concentration in the plating bath. Broadening of X-ray diffraction peak is observed, as the borohydride concentration is increased in the plating bath, which is attributed to the large reduction in the crystallite size of the Ni-B-P alloy coatings. The microhardness values of the coating increased with increasing borohydride concentration in the plating bath. The as-plated Ni-B-P alloy coating containing higher boron content (3.2 wt%) shows higher hardness of 700 HV compared to other Ni-B-P alloy coatings. The XRD patterns of heat treated Ni-B-P alloy coatings (500 °C) show Ni3B intermetallic peaks along with Ni peaks. The presence of Ni3B intermetallic compound significantly increases the microhardness values of the heat treated Ni-B-P alloy coatings. KeywordElectroless plating, Ni-B-P alloy coatings, Plating rate, Surface morphology, Microhardness