Fractal characterization and optimization of electroless Ni-P coatings

This paper presents an experimental study of fractal characteristics of electroless Ni-P (EN) coatings and optimization of coating process parameters based on the Taguchi method. Experiments are carried out by utilizing the combination of process parameters based on the L-27 Taguchi orthogonal design with three process parameters, namely, bath temperature, concentration of nickel source solution and concentration of reducing agent. It has been observed that the concentration of nickel source solution and the interaction of the bath temperature with the concentration of nickel source solution and reducing agent have a significant influence on controlling fractal dimension characteristics of EN coatings. The surface morphology and composition of coatings are also studied with the help of scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersed x-ray analysis and x-ray diffraction analysis.