Magnetic assisted pulse electrodeposition and characterization of Ni–TiC nanocomposites

Abstract Ni–TiC nanocomposites (NCs) were produced using magnetic assisted pulse electrodeposition (MPED) technique on Q235 steel substrates in this paper. The microstructure, composition, microhardness, and corrosion and wear properties of the nanocomposites were investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning probe microscopy (SPM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), triboindenter in-situ nanomechanical testing, custom-made corrosion apparatus and wear test instrument. The results indicated that Ni grain size in the Ni–TiC NCs declined as particle size of the initial TiC powder was decreased from 200 nm to 30 nm. XRD results showed that Ni–TiC NCs consisted of Ni phase and TiC phase. When initial TiC particle size was 30 nm, XRD peaks were the lowest in intensity and the widest, confirming the smallest Ni and TiC grain sizes in Ni–TiC-1 composite. This composite also showed the highest TiC content and microhardness values, which were equal to 10.51 wt% and 895.4 Hv, respectively. Anticorrosion and wear behaviors were also affected by the initial TiC particle sizes. W values of Ni–TiC-1, Ni–TiC-2, and Ni–TiC-3 NCs were 0.91, 1.42, and 1.66 mg, respectively, after 24 h corrosion tests. Moreover, Ni–TiC-1 NC had the smallest corrosion potential and corrosion current density, demonstrating that it had the best corrosion resistance. In addition, Ni–TiC-1 composite showed the best wear resistance in wear tests.