Effect of Dehydrogenation and Heat Treatments on the Microstructure and Tribological Behavior of Electroless Ni-P Nanocomposite Coatings.

High phosphorus Ni-P coatings, both unreinforced and modified by the addition of alumina (AlO) and zirconia (ZrO) nanoparticles, were manufactured by electroless deposition technique and heat-treated with different temperature and duration schedules. The effect of dehydrogenation (200 °C for 2 h) and its combination with crystallization heat treatment was studied in terms of microstructural changes and wear resistance. The amorphous structure of the coatings was not altered by the introduction of both AlO and ZrO nanoparticles, and the addition of 1.