Microstructural Characterization of Electroformed Nickel and Its Composites

Abstract

In the present work the nickel metal matrix was developed by electrochemicalforming technique, were the nickel matrix is built around the reinforced carbonfiber in various thicknesses and fiber volume fractions. The metallographicanalysis indicate that the experimental depositing condition have a dominatingeffect on the observed composite microstructure. The grain size of the depositednickel is found (from the microstructure) to vary inversely with the amount of thedepositing electrical current density. Also the temperature of the solution seem toreflect quite well on the microstructure of the metal matrix, were relatively highand low solution temperature produced rather refined grain structure, while anintermediate temperature of (50°C) is found to deposited courser grain size.Secondary thermal and mechanical treatments are found to modify themicrostructure in a way that higher annealing temperatures tend to enhanced thegrain growth process and tend to reduced apparent porosity at (650°C), similarlythe forging of the electroformed composites made at different temperature tend toreduced the internal porosity, by a notable ratio, depending on the temperature ofthe forging process.