Characterization and Corrosion Resistance Behavior of Pure Ni Coatings & Ni-V2O5 Nano composite Coatings Developed by DC & PC Methods of Electrodeposition
Abstract Pure nickel (Ni) coating and nickel – vanadium pentoxide (Ni-V2O5) nanocomposite coatings have been developed on mild steel substrates by direct current (DC) & pulse current (PC) methods of electrodeposition using sulfamate electrolyte bath by optimizing all the suitable parameters. The surface morphology and texture characterization of pure Ni coating and Ni-V2O5nanocomposite coatings were analyzed by spectroscopic techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) equipped with an attachment for Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS) & X-ray Diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy analysis. The SEM study confirmed surface morphology of the pure Ni coating was changed by the incorporation of V2O5 nanoparticles in the nickel metal matrix and chemical composition of all the coatings was determined by EDS. XRD study proved highly corrosion resistant nanocomposites show preferred orientation towards (111) plane. The corrosion rate of all the coatings was investigated in 3.5% corrosive medium using electrochemical techniques such as Tafel extrapolation and AC impedance. The coatings developed by PC show enhanced corrosion resistance behavior compare to coatings developed by DC. The 0.125g/L Ni-V2O5nanocomposite coating obtained by PC show more widened semicircle with high Rp value and has more positive shift with high corrosion resistance during AC impedance and Tafel extrapolation analysis respectively. The coatings developed by PC showed improved micro hardness compare to coatings developed by DC during micro hardness testing of all the coatings.