Enhancement of Plain Carbon Steels Corrosion by Heat Treatment of the Direct Electrodeposited Ni-P-SiC Deposit

The current study examined the effects of heat treatment on the microhardness and wear resistance of electrodeposited Ni-P-SiC coatings, as well as the effects of SiC particle concentrations on the coating's metallic continuous phase. Direct electrodeposition onto a low alloy steel electrode (0.40 C) was used to obtain the deposits. A modified Watt bath and pure nickel anode were used, and the material was heat treated for one hour at 400 °C. Using XRD and SEM methods, the Ni-P-SiC deposit was characterized. Additionally, the deposit's microhardness was assessed using the LECO, DM-400, both before and after heat treatment, with a 50g load. The results obtained indicate that the coating's deposition on the surface of low alloy steel and its impacts on the deposit coating crystal plane may be influenced by the applied current density. The SiC dispersion slightly improved as the bath's SiC content rose. The reduction in phosphor content of the deposited Ni-P-SiC coating as a result of the SiC particles being added to the Ni-P electrodeposition bath. The XRD data showed that crystalline Ni and Ni3P are formed as a result of the heat treatment procedure. As the SiC content in the electrodeposition bath and heat treatment procedure rises, so does the microhardness of the Ni-P-SiC deposit. Low alloy steel's resistance to erosion corrosion can be strengthened by the Ni-P-SiC.