Synthesis and properties of electrodeposited Ni–CeO2 nano-composite coatings

Current machinery requires metallic materials to have better surface properties. Based on an orthogonal experimental design and analysis method, the CeO 2 -reinforced nickel nano-composite coatings were prepared by direct current electrodeposition in a nickel sulfate bath containing CeO 2 nanoparticles. Statistical results indicate that current density is the most significant variable in the electrodeposition processing, while temperature is the least important factor. The microstructure of Ni and Ni–CeO 2 nano-composite coatings was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The microhardness of the Ni coating is enhanced by the incorporation of CeO 2 nanoparticles. Potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to characterize the corrosion behavior of Ni and Ni–CeO 2 coatings. These studies show that Ni–CeO 2 coating has better corrosion resistance compared to Ni coating.