Electrodeposition of zinc-nickel alloys from ethylene glycol-based electrolytes in presence of additives for corrosion protection

In the present work the electrodeposition of zinc-nickel alloys with 15-20 wt.% nickel from non-aqueous solutions based on ethylene glycol is investigated. Potentiostatic deposition conditions are used, which are found to offer optimal coating quality and superior control over composition. In addition, ammonium chloride is evaluated as additive to partially suppress nickel incorporation into the deposit and to enhance layer quality. Layers composition, surface morphology of the deposits and their anticorrosive properties are investigated. The electrochemical characteristics of the Zn-Ni electrolytes are studied using cyclic voltammetry measurements. From the phase composition point view, X-ray diffraction results confirm that a metastable gamma phase is present in the as deposited Zn-Ni alloys with nickel content 16-18 wt.%. Corrosion tests show that the barrier behaviour against corrosion of Zn-Ni films electrodeposited from the NH4Cl containing bath is superior in comparison to layers plated from an additive-free bath. The use of the additive enlarges the grains and provides a compact surface structure, which upskills the anticorrosive behaviour of the deposit.