Aluminide Coatings Fabricated on Nickel by Aluminium Electrodeposition from DMSO₂-Based Electrolyte and Subsequent Annealing

Abstract

A new cost-effective process to fabricate aluminide coatings was developed. Coating layers consisting of nickel aluminides could be formed by electrodeposition of Al layers from a dimethylsulfone-AlCl₃ electrolyte on Ni substrates and subsequent annealing in air or vacuum at temperatures of 700–1150°C. Analysis of the intermetallic layers by XRD, SEM and EDX indicated the formation of Al₃Ni and Al₃Ni₂ at 700°C, AlNi at 900°C and 1000°C, and AlNi and AlNi₃ at 1150°C. The Annealing atmosphere did not affect the resulting intermetallic products.