Effects of Bath Composition and P Contents on the Mechanical Properties of Ni-P Electroplating

Abstract

Ni-P alloys are fabricated on the pre-cleaned copper substrate using electroplating method in sulfate bath. The concentration of phosphorous acid and current density were varied to optimize the P contents as well as the physical properties of the alloy. The properties of Ni-P alloy were analyzed using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The surface hardness of the Ni-P alloy was increased up to 550 Hv as the phosphorous acid (H3PO3) increased upto 0.015 M, however the higher phosphorous contents in the coating developed the cracked on the surface. The surface hardness was increased due the grain refinement.