Electroless Ni-P-PTFE-Al2O3 Dispersion Nanocomposite Coating for Corrosion and Wear Resistance

With the aim to produce a coating having good corrosion and wear resistance alongside hardness but lesser friction coefficient, Ni-P-PTFE-Al2O3 (NiPPA) dispersion coating was developed. This was achieved by introducing nanosized polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and alumina (Al2O3) in the Ni-P matrix deposited on mild steel substrate. The coating was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive analysis of x-ray, and x-ray diffractrometry. Microhardness and wear resistance of the coating was measured using Vicker's hardness tester and Pin-on-Disc method, respectively. The corrosion behavior was measured using electrochemical polarization and immersion tests with and without exposure in 3.5% NaCl solution. It is observed that codeposition of Al2O3 and PTFE particles with Ni-P coating results in comparatively smooth surface with nodular grains. The NiPPA coating was observed to have moderate hardness between electroless Ni-P-PTFE and Ni-P-Al2O3 coating and good wear resistance with lubricating effect. Addition of both PTFE and Al2O3 is observed to enhance corrosion resistance of the Ni-P coating. However, improvement in corrosion resistance is more due to addition of Al2O3 than PTFE. Continuous exposure for 10-20 days in corrosive solution is found to deteriorate corrosion protection properties of the coating.