Synthesis of Ni/nano-Al₂O₃ coatings by brush plating with magnetic fields

In the process of electrodeposition, the magnetic field would generate the magneto hydrodynamic (MHD) effect, which affects the flow and mass transfer of hydrogen evolution. Thus, the performance of electrodeposition coatings will be affected. In this work, Ni/nano-Al₂O₃ coatings prepared by brush plating with magnetic fields were studied. The results show that the magnetic field indeed influences the morphology, texture and wears resistance. The morphology of Ni/Al₂O₃ coating is smooth and uniform; the (200) plane of Ni/Al₂O₃ coating is preferentially oriented in the same direction of a magnetic field; the wear resistance of Ni/Al₂O₃ composite coatings increases due to the uniform distribution of Al₂O₃ particles; and the wear mechanism of coating belongs to adhesive wear. The optimal intensity of magnetic field for Ni/Al₂O₃ composite coatings to obtain a good performance is 0.1 T.