Tribological and Anticorrosion Performance of Electroplated Zinc Based Nanocomposite Coatings

Abstract

This paper presents the results of corrosion and tribological analysis of pure and nanocomposite zinc coatings. Coatings were electroplated using commercially available products—zinc acidic bath and a nanoparticle carrying plating additive. Electrochemical measurements were carried out to compare the anticorrosion performance of coatings. An investigation into the influence of nanoparticles on the mechanical properties was performed. The zinc nanocomposite coating exhibited better wear resistance and higher hardness than the plain zinc coating. The application of confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) allowed the detailed description of friction/wear marks. The electrochemical studies revealed that the introduction of nanoparticles into the coating did not compromise its protective properties—a similar resistance of plain and nanocomposite coatings to corrosion was obtained.