Preparation and characterization of conductive and corrosion-resistant wood-based composite by electroless Ni–W–P plating on birch veneer

A conductive and corrosion-resistant wood-based composite was obtained via electroless Ni–W–P plating on birch veneers. The W content of the Ni–W–P coatings obtained under different Na₂WO₄ concentrations in the plating bath was analyzed. The crystal structure, surface morphology, electrical resistivity, electromagnetic shielding effectiveness, surface wettability, adhesive strength and corrosion resistance of the composite were investigated. Energy-dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results showed that the coating consisted mainly of Ni⁰, Mo⁰ and P⁰ doped with little of their oxides. X-ray diffractometry analysis suggested the obtained coatings contained a nanocrystalline structure. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that the veneer surfaces were covered with uniform and continuous coatings. Birch veneers plated with Ni–W–P alloy exhibited good electrical conductivity with surface resistivity below 200 mΩ/cm² and shielding effectiveness above 35 dB from 9 kHz to 1.5 GHz. Ni–W–P films firmly adhered to the wood surface. Water contact angle of the composite reached about 130° indicating the hydrophobic surface. The Ni–W–P-plated veneers showed excellent corrosion resistance due to the polarization resistance above 3.1 kΩ/cm². This study further provides a new method for fabricating multifunctional wood-based composites.     

A simple process for electroless plating nickel–phosphorus film on wood veneer

A facile electroless Ni–P plating process for preparing EMI shielding wood-based composite was studied. In the process, the activation was combined with electroless deposition in the plating bath. By a simple and environmentally friendly method, Ni–P film was easily deposited on the surface of birch veneer. The plated specimens were observed by SEM, and it was found that the film is uniform, compact, and continuous. EDS results show that the coating contains 3.32 wt% phosphorus and 96.68 wt% nickel. It is indicated by XRD analysis that the film on birch veneer is crystalline. It is considered that the crystalline structure is related to the lower phosphorus content of the film. It was found that the birch veneer plated with crystalline Ni–P coating has better electrical conductivity and electromagnetic shielding performance.