Preparation and tribological properties of Ni-P electroless composite coating containing potassium titanate whisker

Nickel-phosphorus (Ni-P) composite coatings containing potassium titanate K2Ti6O13) whiskers (PTWs) were prepared by electroless plating. The surface morphology and component of coatings were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), respectively before and after wear test. The tribological performance was evaluated using a pin-on-disk wear tester under dry conditions. It is found that the Ni-P-PTWs composite coatings exhibit higher wear resistance than Ni-P and Ni-P-SiC electroless coatings. The favorable effects of PTWs on the tribological properties of the composite coatings are attributed to the super-strong mechanical properties and the specific tunneling structures of PTWs. The PTWs greatly reinforce the structure of the Ni-P-based composite coatings and thereby greatly reduce the adhesive and plough wear of Ni-P-PTWs composite coatings.