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 CeO₂-reinforced nickel nano-composite coatings were prepared by direct current electrodeposition in a nickel sulfate bath containing CeO₂ 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–CeO₂ 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 CeO₂ nanoparticles. Potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to characterize the corrosion behavior of Ni and Ni–CeO₂ coatings. These studies show that Ni–CeO₂ coating has better corrosion resistance compared to Ni coating.