Effects of gum additives on nickel electroplating for enhancing steel corrosion resistance

Abstract

Low-carbon steels are widely used across various industries but have limited corrosion resistance, leading to safety hazards and a shortened service life. Nickel plating is a common method for enhancing steel corrosion resistance. The plating bath solution can be modified by adding additives to improve the properties of the coating. In this research, gum arabic, guar gum and gelatin were used as additives in a nickel electroplating bath. SS400 low-carbon steel, as a substrate, was plated with nickel from these different baths at 5 V for 25 min. Nickel coated with green additives showed higher hardness compared to those without additives, with the hardness of the coating using gum arabic measured at approximately 357±6 HV. The morphology of the surface coating was characterized using SEM, which revealed that coating with gum arabic had a smooth surface, while those with gelatin and guar gum exhibited in an uneven or cracking surface, resulting in low hardness. The corrosion resistance was evaluated by immersing samples in a 3.5% NaCl solution. Nickel coatings with gum additives exhibited lower corrosion rates than those without. Among the additives, gum arabic demonstrated the best performance, producing the smoothest coating, the highest hardness, and the lowest corrosion rate.