Superior corrosion
resistance along with higher mechanical performance
is becoming a primary requirement to decrease operational costs in
the industries. Nickel-based phosphorus coatings have been reported
to show better corrosion resistance properties but suffer from a lack
of mechanical strength. Zirconium carbide nanoparticles (ZCNPs) are
known for promising hardness and unreactive behavior among variously
reported reinforcements. The present study focuses on the synthesis
and characterization of novel Ni-P-ZrC nanocomposite coatings developed
through the electrodeposition technique. Successful coelectrodeposition
of ZCNPs without any observable defects was carried out utilizing
a modified Watts bath and optimized conditions. For a clear comparison,
structural, surface, mechanical, and electrochemical behaviors of
Ni-P and Ni-P-ZrC nanocomposite coatings containing 0.75 g/L ZCNPs
were thoroughly investigated. The addition of ZCNPs has a considerable
impact on the properties of Ni-P coatings. Enhancement in the mechanical
properties (microhardness, nanoindentation, wear, and erosion) is
observed due to reinforcement of ZCNPs in the Ni-P matrix, which can
be attributed to mainly the dispersion hardening effect. Furthermore,
corrosion protection efficiency (PE%) of the Ni-P matrix was enhanced
by the incorporation of ZCNPs from 71 to 85.4%. The Ni-P-ZrC nanocomposite
coatings provide an exciting option for their utilization in the automotive,
electronics, aerospace, oil, and gas industry.