Preparation and investigation of nanostructured SiC–nickel layers by electrodeposition Lidia Benea a,b, * , Pier Luigi Bonora b , Alberto Borello c , Stefano Martelli d , Franc ßois Wenger e , Pierre Ponthiaux e , Jacques Galland e a Department of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Dunarea de Jos University of Galati, 47 Domneasaca Street, 6200 Galati, Romania b Department of Materials Engineering, Trento University, 38050 Via Mesiano 77, Trent, Italy c ENEA, C.R.Casaccia, Divisione Nuovi Materiali, Rome, Italy d ENEA, C.R.Frascati, Divisione Fisica Applicata, Rome, Italy e Ecole Centrale Paris, Laboratoire C.F.H., 92295 Chatenay-Malabry, France Received 26 December 2000; accepted 12 October 2001 Abstract Nanocomposite layers have been obtained by electrochemical deposition of silicon carbide nanoparticles (mean diameter 20 nm) in a nickel plating bath. The influence of nanoparticles on nickel electroplating is studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) at cathodic potential. Cathodic polarization diagrams have been determined in the electrolyte with and without nanoparticles. We show that incorporation of 20 nm SiC particles into nickel deposition modifies the impedance and cathodic polarization diagrams in correlation with the modification of the surface morphology and crystallinity of nickel matrix. D 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Nanostructured layers; Nanoparticles; Silicon carbide; Nickel matrix; Electrodeposition 1. Introduction Due to their high wear resistance and the low cost of ceramic powder, nickel–silicon carbide com- posites have been investigated to the greatest extent and successfully commercialized for the protection of friction parts. The dimensions of dispersed SiC powder in the range of micrometers and the shapes from round to acicular or a mixture of them are reported [1–11]. The present work has the purpose of realization and investigation of the nanostructured composite layers obtained by using (for the first time) nanocrystals of silicon carbide (mean diameter 20 nm) synthesized by ENEA Italy electrodeposited with nickel. It is necessary to note that by involving the nanocrystals of silicon carbide in a nickel matrix, we can obtain nanostructured materials with properties differing from those of the individual materials. 0167-2738/02/$ - see front matter D 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII:S0167-2738(02)00586-6 * Corresponding author. Department of Materials Engineering, Trento University, 77 Mesiano, 38050 Trento, Italy. Fax: +40-236- 461353, +33-1-41131437. E-mail addresses: beneal@cti.ecp.fr, lidiabd@yahoo.com (L. Benea). www.elsevier.com/locate/ssi Solid State Ionics 151 (2002) 89 – 95