Nickel-chromium nanolaminate coating having high hardness

• US 10,844,504 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2018
• Issued: 11/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Modumetal Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Modumetal Incorporated
• Inventors: Sklar, Glenn
• Primary Examiner(s): Schleis, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US16/191,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20190309430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/01 all layers being exclusively metallic making layered metal workpieces by pressure cladding B23K20/22; making coatings with a metallic material characterised by its composition C23C30/00
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 1/00 Electroforming
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 3/06 from solutions of trivalent chromium
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 3/12 of nickel or cobalt
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 3/20 of iron
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 3/38 of copper
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 3/54 of metals not provided for in groups C25D3/04 - C25D3/50
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 3/562 containing more than 50% by weight of iron or nickel or cobalt
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/14 two or more layers being of nickel or chromium, e.g. duplex or triplex layers
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/18 Electroplating using modulated, pulsed or reversing current
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/34 Pretreatment of metallic surfaces to be electroplated
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/36 of iron or steel
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/611 Smooth layers
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/623 Porosity of the layers
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/627 Electroplating characterised by the visual appearance of the layers, e.g. colour, brightness or mat appearance
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 9/04 with inorganic materials

Abstract

The present disclosure describes electrodeposited nanolaminate materials having layers comprised of nickel and/or chromium with high hardness. The uniform appearance, chemical resistance, and high hardness of the nanolaminate NiCr materials described herein render them useful for a variety of purposes including wear (abrasion) resistant barrier coatings for use both in decorative as well as demanding physical, structural and chemical environments.

Claims

1. An object comprising:

a nanolaminate coating on at least a portion of a surface of a substrate, the nanolaminate coating comprising a plurality of alternating first layers of a first nickel-chromium alloy comprising greater than about 92% nickel and at least 0.1% chromium, by weight, and second layers of a second nickel-chromium alloy comprising at least 0.1% nickel and about 14% to about 40% chromium, by weight.

2. The object of claim 1, wherein the nanolaminate coating comprises at least 100 layers.

3. The object of claim 1, wherein the first layers have a thickness ranging from about 25 nanometers to about 75 nanometers, and the second layers have a thickness ranging from about 125 nanometers to about 175 nanometers.

4. The object of claim 1, wherein the first layers comprise greater than about 92% nickel, by weight, and the balance of the first layers is chromium.

5. The object of claim 1, wherein the second layers comprise about 14% to about 21% chromium, by weight, and the balance of the second layers is nickel.

6. The object of claim 1, wherein the first layers, the second layers, or both comprise at least one element selected independently from the group consisting of carbon, cobalt, copper, iron, indium, manganese, niobium, tungsten, molybdenum, and phosphorus.

7. The object of claim 1, wherein the nanolaminate coating has a Vickers microhardness as measured by ASTM E384-1 1 el of 550-750 without heat treatment.

8. The object of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises one or more metals or other elements selected from the group consisting of C, Co, Cu, Fe, In, Mn, Nb, W, Mo, and P.

9. The object of claim 1, further comprising a nickel strike layer between the surface of the substrate and the nanolaminate coating.

10. The object of claim 1, wherein the nanolaminate coating comprises at least twenty layers.

11. The object of claim 1, wherein the first layers comprise greater than about 94% nickel, by weight and the balance of the first layers is chromium.

12. The object of claim 1, wherein the second layers comprise about 14% to about 41% chromium, by weight and the balance of the second layers is nickel.

13. An object comprising:

a plurality of alternating layers comprising first layers of a first nickel-chromium alloy comprising greater than about 92% nickel and at least 0.1% chromium, by weight, and second layers of a second nickel-chromium alloy comprising at least 0.1% nickel and about 14% to about 40% chromium, by weight, each layer of the plurality of alternating layers having a thickness of less than one micrometer.

14. The object of claim 13, wherein the first layers comprise greater than about 92% nickel, by weight, and the balance of the first layers is chromium;

and

wherein the second layers comprise about 14% to about 40% chromium, by weight, and the balance of the second layers is nickel.

15. The object of claim 13, wherein the second layers comprise about 14% to about 21% chromium, by weight, and the balance of the second layers is nickel.

16. The object of claim 13, wherein the first layers comprise greater than about 95% nickel, by weight, and the balance of the first layers is chromium.

17. The object of claim 13, wherein the plurality of alternating layers comprises at least 20 layers.

18. The object of claim 13, wherein the plurality of alternating layers comprises at least 100 layers.

19. The object of claim 13, wherein the first layers have a thickness ranging from about 25 nanometers to about 75 nanometers, and the second layers have a thickness ranging from about 125 nanometers to about 175 nanometers.