Electrodeposition of multilayer NiW alloy coating for improved anticorrosion performance

The attractiveness of electroplating linked to cathodic current density (CD) has tried to exploit here to the development of coatings of high corrosion resistance. Multilayer NiW alloy coatings of better anticorrosion performance were electrodeposited from a tartrate bath by periodic pulsing of CD between two values, during the process of deposition. The multilayer coatings of different configurations, in terms of composition and thickness of individual layers were developed by proper modulation of amplitude and duration of the square current pulse, respectively. The deposition conditions were optimized for best performance of the coatings against corrosion. Our experimental study revealed that under optimal condition, multilayer NiW coating having (NiW)1.0/3.0/120 configuration is almost six times more corrosion resistant than its monolayer coating, deposited from same bath for same duration. The reason for improved corrosion performance in multilayer NiW alloy coating was explained in the light of effect of larger interfaces affected due to layered deposition and confirmed by scanning electron microscopy analysis, energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction study. The mechanism of corrosion responsible for its better performance, in relation to its monolayer coating is given, and results are discussed.