Comparison of the coating properties and corrosion rates in electroless Ni–P/PTFE composites prepared by different types of surfactants

The effects of the addition of three types of surfactants (cationic, anionic, non-ionic) at different concentrations in the plating bath on the deposition rate, PTFE content and surface morphology of electroless Ni–P/PTFE composite coatings were investigated. It was demonstrated that the cationic and non-ionic surfactants created a uniform distribution of PTFE particles in the coatings. The effects of the surfactant type and concentration on the corrosion properties of Ni–P/PTFE coatings were also studied. The corrosion resistance was increased by the incorporation of PTFE particles into the Ni–P matrix. The level of improvement depended largely on the type and concentration of the applied surfactants.