Microstructural characterization of electroformed nickel and its composites

Abstract EN

In the present work the nickel metal matrix was developed by electrochemical forming technique, were the nickel matrix is built around the reinforced carbon fiber in various thicknesses and fiber volume fractions.

The metallographic analysis indicate that the experimental depositing condition have a dominating effect on the observed composite microstructure.

The grain size of the deposited nickel is found (from the microstructure) to vary inversely with the amount of the depositing electrical current density.

Also the temperature of the solution seem to reflect quite well on the microstructure of the metal matrix, were relatively high and low solution temperature produced rather refined grain structure, while an intermediate temperature of (50°C) is found to deposited courser grain size. Secondary thermal and mechanical treatments are found to modify the microstructure in a way that higher annealing temperatures tend to enhanced the grain growth process and tend to reduced apparent porosity at (650°C), similarly the forging of the electroformed composites made at different temperature tend to reduced the internal porosity, by a notable ratio, depending on the temperature of the forging process.