Better coating for nickel-boride

Drexel University and NanoBlox researchers have shown that the mechanical characteristics of electroless nickel-boride coatings deposited on steel can be significantly improved with the addition of nanosized diamond particles into deposition baths.

In an article, ‘Nanoindentation Study of the Effect of Nanodiamond Additives on Electroless Deposition Nickel-Boride Coating’ and published on the Journal of Materials Online, the researchers shed light on the effects of nanodiamond additives on coating properties.

Until recently, chromium coatings were in widespread use due to their high mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and appealing looks. However, because of environmental issues, nickel-based coatings are expected to replace chromium ones within a few years. Nickel-boride coatings have been shown to act particularly well. When compared to chromium coatings, however, they have decreased mechanical properties and wear resistance due to a highly developed columnar structure.

It was found recently that minute amounts of nanosized diamond added to deposition baths increase hardness and tribological properties of nickel-based coatings by a factor of two to three. Nanodiamond powder is produced in large quantities at relatively low prices by detonating old explosives in a closed chamber.