New Electrode Materials Containing Titanium Powder in an Amorphous Matrix of Ni-P

Abstract

Composite Ni-P+Ti layers were prepared by simultaneous electrodeposition of nickel and titanium powder on a steel substrate from a nickel bath in which 4 -40 g•dm -3 of Ti powder were suspended. The electrodeposition was carried out under galvanostatic conditions at a temperature of 343 K and current density of j D = 0,1 A•cm -2 during 0,5 h. The phase composition of the layers was investigated by the X-ray diffraction method. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was used for chemical characterization of the layers. The surface morphology of the coatings was examined by means of a stereoscopic microscope. Chemical and phase analysis of Ni-P+Ti layers confirms the presence of Ni and Ti in the composite layer. It was found that the increase of the titanium powder amount in the bath causes the rise in Ti content embedded in the composite layers. Potentiodynamic method was used for electrochemical characterization of hydrogen evolution process on Ni-P+Ti composite layers. It was ascertained that the presence of Ti in the layers evokes an increase in the hydrogen current density in comparison with the values observed for Ni-P matrix.