Electroless Ni–P–TiO₂ Nanocomposite Coatings for Enhanced Durability and Saltwater Corrosion Protection of Jet Ski Engine Components
J. Environ. Nanotechnol., Volume 14, No 3 (September 2025) pp. 685-691
Abstract
Jet ski engine components operate in aggressive marine environments where prolonged saltwater exposure accelerates corrosion and mechanical degradation, leading to reduced service life and high maintenance costs. This study investigates the development and performance of electroless (Nickel - Phosphorus - Titanium oxide) Ni–P–TiO₂ nanocomposite coatings as a protective surface modification for mild steel components. The coatings were produced using an optimized electroless plating bath incorporating nano-sized TiO₂ particles into the Ni–P matrix to refine grain structure, reduce porosity, and enhance passive film stability. Surface morphology and composition were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), while phase structure was analyzed via X-ray diffraction (XRD). Mechanical performance was evaluated through microhardness testing, and corrosion resistance was assessed using potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 3.5 wt% % NaCl solution to simulate saltwater exposure. The incorporation of TiO₂ nanoparticles produced a dense, uniform coating with improved adhesion to the mild steel substrate. EIS measurements indicated significantly higher polarization resistance, confirming superior long-term corrosion protection. These improvements are attributed to the barrier effect of well-dispersed TiO₂ nanoparticles, which impede chloride ion ingress and stabilize the passive layer. The results highlight that electroless Ni–P–TiO₂ nanocomposite coatings present a cost-effective and high-performance strategy for extending the operational life of mild steel jet ski engine components in harsh saltwater environments.
Full Text
Reference
Alhamad, R. K., Hussein, A. K. and Abbas, L. K., Enhanced alumina substrate wear resistance via electroless NiP–TiC nanocomposite coating, Res. Mater., 20, 100466(2023).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rinma.2023.100466
Alhamad, R. K., Hussein, A. K. and Abbas, L. K., Microstructure, corrosion and wear behaviors of electroless (NiP–TiC–SiC) nanocomposite coating on acrylonitrile butadiene styrene substrate, Surf., 7(4), 1029–1051(2024).
https://doi.org/10.3390/surfaces7040068
Avinandan, K., Indrajit, S., Satyanarayana, S., Suman M. and Satyajit, C., Mechanical and tribological characterization of deep eutectic solvent assisted electroless Ni–P–hBN coating, Ceram. Int., 49(1), 461–473(2023).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2022.09.012
Biplab, B. M., Vikash, K. and Buddhadeb, O., Optimization, prediction, and characterization of electroless Ni–W–P–nanoTiO₂ composite coatings on pipeline steel, Arab. J. Sci. Eng., 49, 1643-1657(2023).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-023-07928-0
Fayyad, E. M., Abdullah, A. M., Mohamed, A. M. A., Jarjoura, G., Farhat, Z. and Hassan, M. K., Effect of electroless bath composition on the mechanical, chemical, and electrochemical properties of new NiP–C₃N₄ nanocomposite coatings, Surf. Coat. Technol., 362, 239–251(2019).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2019.01.087
Gül, H., The effect of TiO₂ concentration on morphology, wear and corrosion properties of NiB–TiO₂ composite coatings by ultrasonic-assisted pulse electrodeposition, Surf. Topograph. Metrol. Prop., 11(1), 015001(2023).
https://doi.org/10.1088/2051-672X/acaff9
Jensen, R., Farhat, Z., Islam, M. A. and Jarjoura, G., Erosion–corrosion of novel electroless Ni–P–NiTi composite coating, Corros. Mater. Degrad., 4(1), 120–141(2023).
https://doi.org/10.3390/cmd4010008
Liangshuai, G., Baoxing, Y., Peng Z., Tao, Z. and Fuhui, W., Fabrication of low-cost Ni–P composite coating on Mg alloys with a significant improvement of corrosion resistance: Critical role of mitigating the galvanic contact between the substrate and the coating, Corros. Sci., 183, 109329(2021).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.corsci.2021.109329
Nazari, H., Barati, D. G. and Arefinia, R., A review on electroless Ni–P nanocomposite coatings: Effect of hard, soft, and synergistic nanoparticles, J. Mater. Sci., 58(10), 4292–4358(2023).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-023-08281-1
Oppong, B. G., Oddvin, E. S., Danyil, K. and Sigrun, N. K., Wear-reducing nickel–phosphorus and graphene oxide-based composite coatings: Microstructure and corrosion behavior in high temperature geothermal environment, Corros. Sci., 209, 110809(2022).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.corsci.2022.110809
Pedrizzetti, G., Paglia, L., Genova, V., Cinotti, S., Bellacci, M., Marra, F. and Pulci, G., Microstructural, mechanical and corrosion characterization of electroless Ni–P composite coatings modified with ZrO₂ reinforcing nanoparticles, Surf. Coat. Technol., 473, 129981(2023).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2023.129981
Saravanan, I., Elayaperumal, A., Devaraju, A., Karthikeyan, M. and Raji, A., Wear behaviour of electroless Ni–P and Ni–P–TiO₂ composite coatings on EN8 steel, Mater. Today Proce., 22(3), 1135–1139(2020).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2019.12.007
Shozib, I. A., Ahmad, A., Abdul-Rani, A. M. and Beheshti, M., A review on the corrosion resistance of electroless Ni–P based composite coatings and electrochemical corrosion testing methods, Corros. Rev., 40(1), 1–37(2021).
https://doi.org/10.1515/corrrev-2020-0040
Sui, Y., Chong, S., Jianbo, S., Baolin, P., Wei, R. and Weimin, Z., Stability of an electrodeposited nanocrystalline Ni-based alloy coating in oil and gas wells with the coexistence of H₂S and CO₂, Mater., 10(6), 632(2022).
https://doi.org/10.3390/ma10060632
Uysal, M., Electroless codeposition of Ni–P composite coatings: Effects of graphene and TiO₂ on the morphology, corrosion, and tribological properties, Metal. Mater. Trans. A, 50(5), 2331–2341(2019).
