Synthesis and mechanical performances of Ni/W–TiN coatings deposited at diverse current densities

Nickel-based coatings are known for their exceptional properties and high microhardness, making them widely used to enhance the surface performance of metal components. In order to investigate the effect of pulse current densities ( I D ) on the performance and structure of the coatings, the Ni/W–TiN coatings were prefabricated on a 45 steel substrate by using a pulse electrodeposition (PED) approach. The study examines how varying pulse current densities ( I D ) impact the coatings' microstructure, microhardness, phase composition, and wear/corrosion resistance. Among the coatings tested, the one deposited at an I D value equal to 0.5 A/dm 2 revealed the best structure, with average sizes of 66.4 nm for Ni–W grains and 39.3 nm for TiN nanoparticles. XRD patterns revealed characteristic peaks at 43.8°, 50.5°, and 74.2°, corresponding to the (1 1 1), (2 0 0), and (2 2 0) planar directions of Ni–W. The value of pulse I D significantly influenced the microhardness value of the coatings. The sample deposited at 0.1 A/dm 2 showed a microhardness of approximately 675.4 HV, while the coating formed at 0.5 A/dm 2 showed the highest microhardness at around 834.9 HV. Moreover, Ni/W–TiN coating deposited at 0.5 A/dm 2 showed the lowest corrosion value equal to 0.71 A/cm 2 .