Nanostructured Co-W coatings produced by electrodeposition to replace hard Cr on aerospace components

Institute of Metal Finishing Co-W alloys with 12-26 at.-% W (25-45 wt-%W) can be produced by electrodeposition from complexed aqueous plating baths. The deposits can be in the amorphous or nanostructured conditions, depending on the plating bath operations. Most recent attention has been focused on the nanocrystalline conditions which have hardness values in excess of 850 kg mm(-2), which makes them competitive with hard engineering chromium. This may allow the coatings to replace hard Cr which is produced from hexavalent chromium baths having associated health and safety problems. Co-W coatings, 2-120 mu m thick, can be deposited with a low incidence of cracking, with good corrosion and wear properties (dry and lubricated) when deposited on a variety of steel substrates. The underlying reasons, i.e. the amount of tungsten in solution, the density of grain boundaries and the reduction in bonding between coating and counterface under dry sliding conditions, which account for these enhanced properties are discussed. Potential applications are in many sectors of engineering including aerospace, hydraulics and automobile.