Electrodeposited cobalt and its alloys nanocoating: A brief review

Nanocrystalline materials have gained importance to be developed due to their significantly enhanced properties compared to the polycrystalline materials. Electrodeposition has a special role in synthesizing the nanocrystalline materials. In current review, the superiority of electrodeposition technique in producing various nanocyrstalline materials that exhibit improved characteristics compared to materials produced by conventional techniques are discussed. The nanocrystalline cobalt and its alloys have been recognized as one of the capable materials to replace the hard chrome coating. This coating is known to be carcinogenic on the tissue and toxic to human beings, plants and animals. The approaches taken in designing the efficient nanocrystalline cobalt and its alloys coatings which provide superior resistance to corrosion are outlined. The mechanical properties of various nanostructured coating materials using the nanoindentation testing are also described. The understanding obtained from the review will offer guidelines for future researches, thus providing new structured coatings which can be utilized in various applications such as corrosion and wear resistance applications.