In this paper, we present results concerning the electrochemical deposition of Zn-SiC composite coatings reinforced with nano-, submicro-, and microparticles. The influence of current density, particle size, and ultrasound on functional parameters which are especially important from a practical point of view (i.e., concentration of particles in coatings, current efficiency, morphology, reflectivity, roughness, hardness, and corrosion resistance) are investigated and discussed. Coatings were deposited from commercial, chloride-based electrolytes dedicated for the deposition of Zn coatings in a weakly acidic environment. Electrodeposited composites contained up to 1.58, 4.08, and 1.15 wt. % of SiC for coatings reinforced with nano, submicro, and micrometric particles, respectively. The process proceeded with relatively high efficiency, exceeding 80% in almost all cases. The results indicate that ultrasounds strongly increase Faradaic efficiency and affect the kinetics of electrode processes and the properties of synthesized coatings. Moreover, the obtained results show that it is possible to synthesize composite coatings with slightly higher mechanical properties while retaining corrosion resistance compared to metallic Zn coatings.
Keywords: Zn-SiC composites; composite coatings; electrodeposition; ultrasounds.