Impact of TiN Particle Size on Microstructures and Properties of Ni/W-TiN Coatings Deposited on Surfaces of Pressure Vessel Steels
摘要
Ni/W-TiN coatings were deposited on Q345 steel via pulse current electrodeposition (PCED) to improve surface properties. The influence of TiN size on composition, structure, microhardness, bonding strength, and corrosion resistance was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, nano-indentation, x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and electrochemical workstation. In this study, Ni/W-TiN coatings incorporating TiN particles of 40, 140, and 240 nm were labeled S40, S140, and S240, respectively. The S40 coating with 40 nm TiN particles exhibited a dense, uniform, and smooth structure composed of TiN nanoparticles (NPs) and finer NiW grains. The average sizes of NiW grains and TiN NPs in the S40 coating were approximately 87.2 nm and 43.7, respectively. At a TiN size of 40 nm, both NiW and TiN exhibited well-defined and sharp diffraction peaks. With a TiN size of 240 nm, the S240 coating demonstrated the lowest average microhardness (596.7 HV), while the S40 coating achieved the highest microhardness (903.8 HV) among the three samples. The coating incorporating 40 nm TiN NPs also exhibited the highest bonding force, reaching approximately 71.5 N. However, the bonding force declined significantly with increasing TiN NP size. After a 28 h corrosion assessment, the mass losses for the S240, S140, and S40 coatings were recorded as 84.8, 66.9, and 41.5 mg, respectively. Furthermore, the uniform distribution of TiN particles in the S40 nanocoating enhanced their interaction with the corrosive NaCl solution, contributing to improved corrosion resistance.