Microstructure and corrosion behavior of electrodeposited nickel prepared from a sulphamate bath

Abstract: Electrodeposited nickel was prepared from a sulphamate bath at different current densities ranging from 0.01 A cm−2 to 0.1 A cm−2. Based on the analysis of the microstructure, the corrosion behavior of the electrodeposited nickel in 3.5%NaCl solution was studied using potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). All the electrodeposits display active–passive–transpassive behavior in potentiodynamic polarization process. The electrodeposits with the best corrosion resistance are obtained at 0.05 A cm−2. As for other electrodeposits, the corrosion potential and breakdown potential decrease with increasing current density used to prepare electrodeposits. However, the variation of both corrosion current density and passive current density is opposite to that of the corrosion potential. The changes in the charge-transfer resistance determined from the impedance spectra are consistent with the results determined from potentiodynamic measurements. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]