ELECTROCODEPOSITION OF NICKEL-DIAMOND AND COBALT-CHROMIUM CARBIDE IN LOW GRAVITY

Codeposition of particles and metals was studied under low-gravity con ditions. Ni-diamond and Co-chromium carbide coatings were investigated . Experiments were run aboard two sounding rockets, each providing 7 m in of 10(-4)g, and one shuttle mission providing 4 h of deposition. Re duced gravity proved to eliminate sedimentation and edge effects and p romote easier particle dispersion in the electrolyte, yielding uniform ly distributed particles in the metal matrix. Large nonconducting diam ond particles were codeposited in higher volume percents as opposed to bench experiments. The trend was opposite for particles of less than or equal to 1 mu m size with fine chromium carbide particles depositin g in higher volume percent in 1g than low g.