Effects of saccharin and cobalt concentration in electrolytic solution on microhardness of nanocrystalline Ni–Co alloys

Cobalt content, surface morphology and microhardness of nanocrystalline Ni–Co deposits prepared by pulse plating technique at constant electrodeposition conditions with varied concentration of saccharin and cobalt sulfate in the electrolyte were investigated. It is found that appropriate amount of both additions could lead to finer structure and higher hardness of the deposit and further increase of the concentration could result in decline of the hardness, which is regarded as the result of inverse Hall–Petch relation. The maximum hardness of the Ni–Co alloy deposits is not higher than that of their pure Ni counterparts, indicating that the refinement hardening effect (Hall–Petch relation) is dominant in nanocrystalline Ni–Co alloy deposits. By adding Co ions to the electrolyte, the amount of organic refiner saccharin (responsible for introduction of sulfur and carbon impurities) needed to produce nanocrystalline deposits could be remarkably reduced.