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International Journal Of Chemistry, Mathematics And Physics(IJCMP)

Microstructure, Tribological Behavior and Corrosion Resistance of Electroless Ni–P Composite Coatings Reinforced with Hexagonal Boron Nitride Particles

Chen-En Lu , Shan-Hang Wang


International Journal of Chemistry, Mathematics And Physics(IJCMP), Vol-9,Issue-3, July - September 2025, Pages 9-17 , 10.22161/ijcmp.9.3.2

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Article Info: Received: 02 Jun 2025; Received in revised form: 05 Jul 2025; Accepted: 08 Aug 2025; Available online: 15 Sep 2025

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Electroless Ni–P and Ni–P/hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) composite coatings were successfully deposited on steel substrates to investigate the influence of h-BN particles on the microstructure, mechanical properties, tribological performance, and corrosion resistance of the coatings. Micron-sized h-BN particles (0.5–0.7 μm) were incorporated into the electroless Ni–P matrix to produce a self-lubricating composite coating. The microstructure and surface morphology were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Mechanical properties were evaluated by nanoindentation, while tribological behavior and corrosion resistance were examined using ball-on-disk wear tests and electrochemical polarization measurements in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. The results demonstrated that h-BN particles were uniformly embedded within the Ni–P matrix without altering its amorphous structure. The incorporation of h-BN slightly increased the surface roughness but significantly improved the tribological performance owing to its intrinsic layered solid-lubricant structure. Compared with the conventional electroless Ni–P coating, the Ni–P/h-BN composite coating reduced the average coefficient of friction by approximately 45% and decreased wear loss by about 38%, while maintaining comparable corrosion resistance. Although a slight reduction in hardness was observed, the coating retained satisfactory mechanical integrity. These findings indicate that h-BN-reinforced electroless Ni–P composite coatings provide an effective approach for achieving excellent wear resistance, self-lubricating capability, and corrosion protection for engineering applications.

Electroless deposition, Ni–P composite coating, Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), Tribological behavior, Corrosion resistance, Self-lubrication.

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