Preparation and tribological performance of electrodeposited Ni-TiB2-Dy2O3 composite coatings

TiB2 and Dy2O3 were used as codeposited particles in the preparation of Ni-TiB2-Dy2O3 composite coatings to improve its per-formance. Ni-TiB2-Dy2O3 composite coatings were prepared by electrodeposition method with a nickel cetyltrimethylanunonium bromide and hexadecylpyridinium bromide solution containing TiB2 and Dy2O3 particles. The content of codeposited TiB2 and Dy2O3 in the compos-ite coatings was controlled by adding TiB2 and Dy2O3 particles of different concentrations into the solution, respectively. The effects of TiB2 and Dy2O3 content on microhardness, wear mass loss and friction coefficients of composite coatings were investigated. The composite coat-ings were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. Ni-TiB2-Dy2O3 composite coatings showed higher microhardness, lower wear mass loss and friction coefficient compared with those of the pure Ni coating and Ni-TiB2 composite coatings. The wear mass loss of Ni-TiB2-Dy2O3 composite coatings was 9 and 1.57 times lower than that of the pure Ni coating and Ni-TiB2 composite coatings, respectively. The friction coefficient of pure Ni coating, Ni-TiB2 and Ni-TiB2-Dy2O3 composite coatings were 0.723, 0.815 and 0.619, respectively. Ni-TiB2-Dy2O3 composite coat-ings displayed the least friction coefficient among the three coatings. DY2O3 particles in composite coatings might serve as a solid lubricant between contact surfaces to decrease the friction coefficient and abate the wear of the composite coatings. The loading-bearing capacity and the wear-reducing effect of the Dy2O3 particles were closely related to the content of Dy2O3 particles in the composite coatings.