Surface properties of graphene platelets/nickel composite coatings

Nickel has been widely used as a strong and highly wear resistant material in super alloys, electronics, gas turbines, and automotive industry to name a few. Further improvements on some properties, such as wear and corrosion resistances, of nickel alloys and composites have been performed. The appearance of graphene provides a new possibility to further the exploration of a new nickel composite to suit particular applications. In this paper, research on electrodeposition of graphene platelets (GPLs) and laminates is reported in an effort to study the potential of the nickel composites in electrical conductivity and hardness for applications. The presented research focusses on the electrodeposition of GPL in Ni matrix and characterisation of the composite properties. SEM analysis showed homogenous dispersion of the GPL over the Ni Surface. Characterisation was also carried out by hardness measurements and conductivity test. The results are compared with each other and with pure Ni samples. The comparison shows an increased hardness and conductivity of the surface with the increase in number of graphene layers. This work opens a new window of applications and provides a way to improvise Ni components for better.