Preparation and characterization of conductive and corrosion-resistant wood-based composite by electroless Ni–W–P plating on birch veneer

A conductive and corrosion-resistant wood-based composite was obtained via electroless Ni–W–P plating on birch veneers. The W content of the Ni–W–P coatings obtained under different Na2WO4 concentrations in the plating bath was analyzed. The crystal structure, surface morphology, electrical resistivity, electromagnetic shielding effectiveness, surface wettability, adhesive strength and corrosion resistance of the composite were investigated. Energy-dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results showed that the coating consisted mainly of Ni0, Mo0 and P0 doped with little of their oxides. X-ray diffractometry analysis suggested the obtained coatings contained a nanocrystalline structure. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that the veneer surfaces were covered with uniform and continuous coatings. Birch veneers plated with Ni–W–P alloy exhibited good electrical conductivity with surface resistivity below 200 mΩ/cm2 and shielding effectiveness above 35 dB from 9 kHz to 1.5 GHz. Ni–W–P films firmly adhered to the wood surface. Water contact angle of the composite reached about 130° indicating the hydrophobic surface. The Ni–W–P-plated veneers showed excellent corrosion resistance due to the polarization resistance above 3.1 kΩ/cm2. This study further provides a new method for fabricating multifunctional wood-based composites.