Use of a Ni-TiO₂ nanocomposite film to enhance agricultural cutting knife surfaces by electrodeposition technology

Crop harvester machines have played a significant role in increasing crop yield by harvesting at the optimal time and reducing crop losses; however, the main issue is the wear and corrosion of the cutting knives, so the goal of this work is to promote the mechanical and chemical knife surfaces. The blank knife was made of low carbon steel. To achieve the goal of this work, Ni-TiO₂ nanocomposite-coated steel was created using electrodeposition technology from Watt's nickel bath with various current densities in the range of (1–4 Adm⁻²) and TiO₂ nanoparticles concentration in the range of (0–1 gL⁻¹). Mechanical and chemical tests were performed on the blank, pure Ni, and Ni-TiO₂ nanocomposites. The corrosion property of the investigated samples was carried out in 3.5 wt. % NaCl solution at room temperature. The outcomes of the study showed a co-deposition of TiO₂ nanoparticles within the Ni matrix to produce nanocomposites-coated steel, and that formed at 3 Adm⁻² and with added 0.5 g/L TiO₂ nanoparticles has a major impact on improving the corrosion resistance and mechanical properties such as abrasion resistance, hardness, young's modulus, plastic, and elastic parameter, as well as fretting test.