Synthesis of ZrB2 strengthened Ni–W composite coating and study of its mechanical characters and anti-corrosion performance

In this experiment, we prepared a series of Ni-W/ZrB2 composite coatings with different dosage gradients of dispersed phase granules by pulse electrodeposition. The suspension properties and agglomeration of particles in the bath were studied in detail by particle size analysis and Zeta potential testing. The XRD, EDS and XPS were adopted to explore the phase composition, element distribution and chemical state of the matrix, The SEM and AFM were used to characterize the apparent morphology and micro-roughness of the composite matrix. The wear resistance of the composite coating was evaluated by reciprocating friction. The results pointed out that the composite films had good wear resistance. The SEM, EDS and three-dimensional reconstruction were used to analyze the abrasion mark in detail. The results show that the wear behavior of the composite film is mainly adhesive wear and wear oxidation. The doping of ZrB2 particles can improve the wear of the matrix sample. The corrosion resistance of the composites was also estimated by electrochemical methods and the electrochemical parameters are analyzed in detail. The properties of the composite films can be significantly enhanced by the disperse phase strengthening effect brought by ZrB2. © 2022 Elsevier B.V.