Perspectives in corrosion-performance of Ni–Cu coatings by adding Y2O3 nanoparticles

Ni–Cu alloy coatings are well-known for their favourable corrosion resistance. However, further improvement in their corrosion resistance through incorporation of reinforcing agents can open new windows of industrial applications. The main focus of this paper is on evaluating the effects of Y2O3 nanoparticles inclusion on the corrosion performance of electrodeposited Ni–Cu alloy coatings. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Tafel polarization, and open circuit potential (OCP) measurements were used to assess the corrosion performance of the coatings. According to the results, there is no obvious change in the phase structure of the coatings. Moreover, the surface morphology of Ni–Cu alloy coatings change from cauliflower-like to featureless with introduction of Y2O3 nanoparticles. Mapping analysis confirms the uniform dispersion of the embedded nanoparticles throughout the matrix. Ni–Cu–4 g L−1 Y2O3 nanocomposite coating exhibits the most favourable corrosion performance mainly due to possessing the highest Y2O3 content along with minimum microstructural defects including pores, voids and micro-cracks.