Electrical, Magnetic and Mechanical Properties of Nanocrystalline Nickel

A new approach to grain boundary engineering for nanocrystalline materials

A new approach to grain boundary engineering (GBE) for high performance nanocrystalline materials, especially those produced by electrodeposition and sputtering, is discussed on the basis of some important findings from recently available results on GBE for nanocrystalline materials. In order to optimize their utility, the beneficial effects of grain boundary microstructures have been seriously considered according to the almost established approach to GBE. This approach has been increasingly recognized for the development of high performance nanocrystalline materials with an extremely high density of grain boundaries and triple junctions. The effectiveness of precisely controlled grain boundary microstructures (quantitatively characterized by the grain boundary character distribution (GBCD) and grain boundary connectivity associated with triple junctions) has been revealed for recent achievements in the enhancement of grain boundary strengthening, hardness, and the control of segregation-induced intergranular brittleness and intergranular fatigue fracture in electrodeposited nickel and nickel alloys with initial submicrometer-grained structure. A new approach to GBE based on fractal analysis of grain boundary connectivity is proposed to produce high performance nanocrystalline or submicrometer-grained materials with desirable mechanical properties such as enhanced fracture resistance. Finally, the potential power of GBE is demonstrated for high performance functional materials like gold thin films through precise control of electrical resistance based on the fractal analysis of the grain boundary microstructure.

Electrodeposition of nanostructured coatings and their characterization-A review

Nanostructured materials have gained importance in recent years due to their significantly enhanced properties. In particular, electrochemistry has a special role in producing a variety of nanostructured materials. In the current review, we discuss the superiority of electrochemical deposition techniques in synthesizing various nanomaterials that exhibit improved characteristics compared with materials produced by conventional techniques, as well as their classification, synthesis routes, properties and applications. The superior properties of a nanostructured nickel coating produced by electrochemical deposition are outlined. The properties of various nanostructured coating materials produced by electrochemical techniques are also described. Finally, the importance of nanostructured coatings in industrial applications as well as their potential in future technologies is emphasized.