The project work was divided into four tasks.
Task 1 – duration 7 months
The first task of the project is planned to be carried out at laboratory scale.
The aim of Task 1 is to develop the bath composition and to select the particle content of the dispersion phase – hard (B) or soft (MoS2) – to produce composite coatings with a nickel-boron (Ni-B) alloy matrix. The work in this phase consists of selecting a substrate material for deposition of Ni-B/B and Ni-B/MoS2 coatings. Then the works connected with elaborating of bath compositions and technological parameters of the process of deposition of coatings by chemical reduction method realized in laboratory conditions (time, temperature, method of mixing, content of dispersion phase in the bath) will be undertaken.
Task 2 – duration 7 months
During the course of Task 1, Task 2 will be initiated in which testing of the manufactured coatings will be performed for characterization and verification of their performance properties. The verification of the produced Ni-B/B and Ni-B/MoS2 coatings will be carried out by performing tests according to the commonly used testing techniques in materials engineering.
The results of the research in task 1 and 2 will be the basis for the transfer of work results from the laboratory scale to the semi-technical scale in task 3.
Task 3 – duration 12 months
Positive results from Task 1 and Task 2 will allow the transition to larger scale and adaptation of the coating deposition process under pilot electroplating line conditions. The work in Task 3 consists in adapting the technology for producing Ni-B/B and Ni-B/MoS2 alloy composite coatings under pilot-plating line conditions. Task 3 carried out on a fully automatic pilot electroplating line equipped, among others, with instrumented process baths with a capacity of 20 dm3, control and measurement apparatus, mixing system, heating and supply of DC stationary and modulated current and electroplating drum intended for processing of small samples and metal parts.
Task 4 – duration 12 months
During the course of Task 3, the work of Task 4 will be initiated, which will concern the characterization of the structure and properties of composite coatings produced on a semi-technical scale, in order to be able to modify them on an ongoing basis by adjusting the parameters of their manufacturing process.