Improvement of Microstructure and Properties of Ni-Co-Al2O3 Composite Coatings with Magnetic-Field Assisted Jet Electrodeposition

This study proposes a novel magnetic field-assisted jet electrodeposition method for preparing Ni–Co–Al2O3 composite coatings, in order to enhance the composite coating performance. The effects of magnetic field strength and particle concentration on the microstructure and properties of the coatings were systematically investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), microhardness testing, and wear tests. The results indicate that under optimal conditions (0.6 T magnetic field and 10 g/L Al2O3 concentration), the composite coating exhibits a dense and uniform surface, a high Al2O3 incorporation content of 3.63%, a maximum microhardness of 584.8 HV, a low friction coefficient of 0.18, a reduced wear rate of 12 mg/min.