Effects of electroplating parameters on the properties of Fe-P coating

Electrodeposition of Fe-P coatings have been recently attracted many attentions for applications such as temporary biodegradable bone replacement material, Li ion storage anode and environmentally friendly alternative to hard chrome plating. In this study, the effects of bath temperature and bath chemical composition (concentration of glycine, iron sulfate and sodium hypophosphate) on the microstructure of electrodeposited Fe-P coating has been investigated. Electro deposition was carried out at the current density of 50 mA/cm2 for 1h. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) equipped with Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) were used to characterize the coatings. Results showed that the P content and the morphology of the coating is affected by temperature and the concentration of glycine and iron sulfate. The coatings obtained from baths containing low amounts of iron sulfate are coatings with a morphology containing large nodules, and by increasing the concentration of iron sulfate, a uniform surface without defects is obtained. Investigations showed that by increasing the concentration of glycine 0.21 to 0.64 M as a complexion compound, the phosphorus content of applied Fe-P coatings increases from 9.29% to 12.55%. Coating deposited at temperature 60 ºC were micro structurally intact while coatings obtained at temperatures 30 ºC had micro-cracks.