Electroless Ni-P-CNT composite coating on aluminum powder

Ni-P-CNT composite coatings were deposited on micro-sized aluminum particles using electroless plating technique and the effect of different process parameters on the microstructural characteristics of the produced composite coatings were investigated. The results showed that a uniform Ni-P-CNT composite coating could be successfully deposited on the aluminum particles provided the electroless processing parameters were adjusted carefully. The most favorable coating quality was achieved at bath temperature of 80 °C, bath pH of 5.5 and CNT concentration of 1.25 g/lit. While a higher CNT concentration resulted in increased CNT agglomeration and poor CNT distribution in the Ni-P matrix, a lower CNT concentration resulted in fewer incorporated CNTs. Higher bath temperatures intensified the hydrogen gas evolution during the process and resulted in poor uniformity and presence of porosity in the coating. Low bath pH resulted in poor CNT incorporation and distribution in the Ni-P matrix and clustering of a large part of CNTs out of the coating.