Electrochemical Preparation and Characterization of Ni–PTFE Composite Coatings from a Non-Aqueous Solution Without Additives

Electrodeposition process of Ni–polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composite coatings is limited to use aqueous plating bath where nonionic/cationic wetting agents usually are necessary to prohibit the hydrophobic PTFE particles being coagulated. This study proposes a novel electrolyte for the depositing Ni–PTFE composite coatings which is formed in a deep eutectic solvent (DES). The DES with a non-aqueous nature allows the PTFE particles well be dispersed in the electrolyte without the additive of any wetting agents. The Ni–PTFE composite coatings are successfully electrodeposited from the proposed DES-based plating bath which is confirmed by the scanning electron microscope and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscope. Deposition mechanism, microstructure, and properties of the composite coatings are investigated. Importantly, it is found that the Ni–3.1wt.% PTFE composite coating shows a hydrophobic behavior with a contact angle of about 121±1° and an enhanced wear resistance than the pure Ni coating due to the incorporation of PTFE.