A Hybrid Approximation to Wear Analysis in Electroless Ni-B Coatings: Conformity of Experimental and Finite Element Methods

Abstract

In the presented study, the wear behavior of nickel-boron (Ni-B) coatings produced by electroless plating was investigated experimentally and by the finite element method (FEM). After the morphological, chemical, and mechanical characterization of Ni-B coatings deposited on the steel substrate in an alkaline bath, the wear tests of the coating were performed under 2N, 4N, and 6N loads, at room temperature, by the ball-on-disk technique. The wear rates under different loads were 5.089, 4.750, and 4,375 mm(3)/Nm by experimental study, while they were calculated as 5.878, 5.365, and 5.023 mm(3)/Nm by FEM analysis, respectively. These results revealed that the wear rate values calculated by experimental and numerical analysis methods were compatible up to 89%. The wear rate in Ni-B coatings can be calculated precisely by FEM analysis even under different wear conditions. Furthermore, considering the elimination of the experimental work, this new approach is time and cost-effective.