Successful incorporation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in nickel electrodeposited coating by electrophoresis

A homogenous and adhesive multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) coating was electrophoretically deposited on stainless steel from an aqueous solution by applying high strength electric fields. Then, nickel was electrodeposited on MWCNT films. MWCNTs content in the composite coatings was reached to 12.5 wt% which was much higher than the content of MWCNTs in conventional nickel–MWCNT electrodeposited coatings. The hardness value of composite coatings significantly increased up to 870 Vickers which it was measured by both micro and nanohardness tests.