Influence of WC and TaC particles on the microstructure and scratch resistance of electrodeposited nickel-tungsten alloy

Abstract This study investigated the effects of two different carbide ceramic particles (WC and TaC), which were co-deposited separately, on the microstructure of the Ni-W alloy. Besides, this work also tried to show an overview of the structural model and address the probability distribution of atoms in Ni-W alloy system, WC, and TaC particles based on obtained results and theoretical conception. Furthermore, the coating properties have been examined using different tools such as XRD, EDS, TEM, SEM, and surface roughness tests to analyze the microstructure and surface properties of the composite coatings. The obtained results revealed that incorporating WC into the matrix induced the porosity in the coating. On the contrary, the inclusion of TaC particles on the Ni-W microstructure promoted the coating strength and improved the scratch resistance behaviors against both lower (0–50 N) and the higher (50–120 N) load ranges.