Surface Roughness and Topography of Ni / Micro-SiC Layers: Influence of Current Density on Electrodeposition Process

Abstract

The surface properties are directly responsible for the performance of engineering materials because most of failures such as friction, wear, corrosion and fatigue often take place on the material surface. Electrodeposition technique is of great interest for industrial usage because it produces functional and protective coatings with low cost and easy control. The present work has the purpose to evaluate roughness and to analyze surfaces of Ni / micro-SiC composite layers obtained at different parameters for electrodeposition. The layers were electroplated from a Watts bath with a suspension of SiC particles (mean diameter size of particles 30 μm) by adding 5 g/L of particles. Electrodeposition took place at 40 ^oC and a current density of 2 A/dm² and 4 A/dm² for 1h. The suspension bath was stirred by a mechanical stirrer at a constant rotational speed of about 500 rpm. The roughness and topography of the layers were evaluated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) method.