Hardness estimation of chromium electrodeposits by an x-ray diffraction method

Abstract The relationship between Vickers microhardness and the half-value breadth of an X-ray diffraction line from electrodeposited chromium coatings was studied. The half-value breadth B was related to the hardness Hv by the equation Hv = 115 B + 325. The hardness of thin coatings, which could not be determined by the use of a microhardness tester, was estimated by this equation.