| abstract |
A dense, smooth, ductile, hard, highly reflective, corrosion-resistant, temperature resistant, and wear-resistant crystalline alloy of nickel, cobalt and boron. The alloy is epitaxially electrodeposited on an activated substrate (16) using a pulsed square wave current. The epitaxial deposition occurs in an electrolytic bath (7) containing nickel ions, cobalt ions, complexing agents, and an amino borane compound at a moderately low pH level and moderate temperature. An insoluble, solid catalyst (18), preferably palladium, causes the alloy to diffuse into the surface of the substrate (16) and become bonded by a polar-covalent bond to it. Implements coated with the alloy, as well as plating solutions and methods for making the alloy are also disclosed. |