Effect of electroless process parameters for nickel‐phosphorous coatings on carbon fibres

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the deposition of uniform, adherent and crack‐free Ni‐P thin films on carbon fibres using the electroless deposition technique.Design/methodology/approach – Before applying the electroless process, the carbon fibre surfaces must be subjected to several treatment processes to remove the organic binder, etching and surface metallization. The surface morphology of the Ni‐P coatings was assessed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The chemical compositions of Ni‐P layers were identified by energy dispersive X‐ray analysis (EDS). The bond strength of the coated layer was determined by measuring the electrical resistance at the fibre/coating interface. The magnetic properties of the fibres were estimated using a hysteresis diagram. The tensile performance of single fibres coated by Ni‐P has been investigated with respect to coating thickness.Findings – Pre‐treatment processes are used to improve the adhesion of Ni‐P layers and to obtain homogeneous c...