Microhardness and corrosion behavior in CrN/electroless Ni/mild steel complex coating

The electroless nickel–phosphorous (Ni–P) coating was chosen as an interlayer to improve the properties of the CrN/mild steel (MS) composite. A hypophosphite-reduced acid solution was used to first deposit electroless Ni–P onto MS substrates, and then the CrN overlayer was deposited by reactive r.f. magnetron sputtering onto the electroless Ni–P modified substrate. The electroless Ni–P layer crystallizes with the precipitation of a Ni3P phase during r.f. sputtering, and thus a coating–substrate composite of CrN/Ni–Ni3P/MS is formed. The electroless Ni–P coating increases the surface hardness of the steel substrate to more than three times. The surface hardness of the CrN coating modified by an electroless Ni–P interlayer exhibits a hardness higher than 2000 HK0.015. The usual substrate effect on the microhardness of the coatings is nearly eliminated with the complex coating feature, and a significant enhancement of surface hardness in the coating assembly is achieved. The corrosion tests indicate that the Ni–Ni3P/MS configuration exhibits a more positive Ecorr value (i.e. less electronegative) than CrN/MS and the corresponding potential curve is shifted toward the low-current side, indicating a better anti-corrosion performance. Through comparison of the Ecorr values and the polarization curves, it is demonstrated that the CrN/Ni–Ni3P/MS composite exhibits significantly higher corrosion resistance than the Ni–Ni3P/MS and CrN/MS coating configurations.