Nickel plating of tungsten carbide with various bath types by electroles plating technique

In this study, nickel (Ni) plating of tungsten carbide (WC) tried to achieve by using electroless plating technique. Plating process was realized in three types of plating baths, acidic hydrazine (N2H4.H2O), acidic sodium hypophosphite (NaH2PO2.H2O), and base sodium hypophosphite. Plated powders was submitted a pressing process at 200 bar (20 MPa) to perform samples. These samples were sintered at 1200°C. Sintered samples were investigated metallographically by scanning electron microscopy to determine either plating process was materialized or not.According to SEM images of samples, sintering processes in samples of acidic baths were realized better than samples of base bath. Also, decreasing in dimension was better in samples of acidic baths. Comparison of two acidic baths show that sample of hydrazine bath was better according to either decreasing in dimension or SEM pictures.