Influence of chloride, sulfate, and nitrate ions in modified watts electrolytes on the morphology and corrosion resistance of nickel electrodeposits
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18265/2447-9187a2026id9095Keywords:
Corrosion, electrodeposition, electrochemistry, nickelAbstract
Nickel electrodeposits have wide industrial applications due to their resistance, durability, and contribution to extending the service life of metallic components. In this study, nickel coatings were obtained from modified Watts baths containing predominantly chloride (ENC), sulfate (ENS), or nitrate (ENN) anions, with constant operational conditions: Ni²⁺ at 1.34 mol·L⁻¹, H₃BO₃ at 0.73 mol·L⁻¹, temperature of 50 °C, pH 4.0, stirring at 100 rpm, and electrolysis time of 15 minutes. The influence of anions on morphology, coating thickness, cathodic current efficiency, and corrosion resistance was evaluated. Surface morphology was analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and electrochemical tests were performed using Linear Potentiodynamic Polarization (LPP) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) in 3.0% NaCl solution, using an AUTOLAB PGSTAT 204 potentiostat/galvanostat. Results showed that ENC and ENS coatings exhibited greater thicknesses and current efficiencies compared to ENN. Morphologically, ENS deposits showed nodular structures, ENC displayed homogeneous nodular/dendritic morphology, and ENN presented irregular and porous surfaces. Electrochemical assays indicated that ENS had more noble behavior (Ecorr = −384.0 mV) and greater corrosion resistance, while ENN showed lower performance (Ecorr = −706.0 mV). It is concluded that chloride, sulfate, and nitrate anions significantly influence the morphological and electrochemical properties of nickel electrodeposits.
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