HOW HEAT TREATMENT CAN GIVE BETTER PROPERTIES TO ELECTROLESS NICKEL-BORON COATINGS

摘要

Electroless nickel-boron deposits were synthesized on mild steel and submitted to heat treatments under neutral and nitrogen based atmosphere. The properties obtained after these treatments were compared to as deposited nickel-boron coatings. The morphology and structure of the samples were investigated by XRD, SEM and optical microscopy; their composition was studied by ICP, GD-OES and SIMS analysis, and micro and nanoindentation tests were carried out to assess the coatings' hardness. Scratch tests were used to determine the damage mechanisms of the coating.