Yes / Heat-treatment is a frequently used technique for modifying the physical and chemical properties of materials. In this study, the effect of heat-treatment on the mechanical properties, thermal stability and surface morphology of two types of electrodeposited coatings (pure-Ni and Ni/Al2O3) were investigated. The XRD analyses showed that the crystal structure of the as-deposited coating changes from slightly amorphous to crystalline as the heat-treatment temperature increases. The heat-treatment of both the pure-Ni and the Ni/Al2O3 coating caused an increase of the grain size within the coatings. However, the unreinforced Ni coating experienced a faster growth rate than the Ni/Al2O3 coating, which resulted in a larger average grain size. The temperature-driven changes to the microstructure of the coatings caused a reduction in the hardness and wear resistance of the coatings. The presence of nanoparticles within the Ni/Al2O3 coating can successfully extend the operational temperature range of the coating to 473 K by pinning grain boundaries.

No / This paper investigates the sliding wear performance of two types of co-electrodeposited cermet coatings com- posed of nano-sized tungsten carbide (WC) and combined tungsten carbide and alumina (Al2O3) particles incor- porated in a nickel matrix. For this purpose, the effects of alternating the ceramic particle concentration in the electrolyte solutions on microhardness of the coatings and also the effect of applied loads on wear performance of the coatings have been studied using ball-on-flat sliding wear tests. The wear track volumes and the progres- sion of wear depths as a function of time and at three applied loads were recorded and wear track morphologies were investigated using FE-SEM and microhardness testing. The results showed that microstructure, microhard- ness and wear performance of the coatings composed of WC improved when Al2O3 particles were introduced into the matrix. It was also found that the rule of mixtures for composite materials provides a good explanation for microhardness behaviour while Archard equation can explain the changes in wear performance due to the hardness and microstructural changes. / Alberta Innovates Future Technologies (Nanoworks) Canada

Yes / The tribological performance of a nanocrystalline coating is heavily influenced by its composition, morphology, and microstructural characteristics. This research work describes the effect of heat treatment temperature on the microstructural, morphological, and mechanical behavior of nanocrystalline Ni/TiO2 coatings produced by electrophoresis. The surface morphology and coating cross section were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The composition of coatings and the percentage of TiO2 nanoparticles incorporated in the Ni matrix were studied and estimated by using an energy-dispersive spectroscopic (EDS) analysis, while x-ray diffractometry (XRD) was used to investigate the effect of heat treatment temperature on phase structure. The results showed agglomeration of TiO2 nanoparticles on the surface of the coating. The high hardness and wear resistance recorded for the as-deposited coating was attributed to the uniform distribution of TiO2 nanoparticle clusters throughout the cross section of the coating. Heat treatment of the Ni/TiO2 coatings to temperatures above 200 °C led to significant grain growth that changed the surface morphology of the coating and reduced the strengthening effects of the nanoparticles, thus causing a reduction in the hardness and wear resistance of the coatings.