Ni-P nanoglass prepared by multi-phase pulsed electrodeposition

Ni-P nanoglass consisting of nanometer-sized amorphous grains separated by amorphous interfaces was prepared by a specially designed multi-phase pulsed electrodeposition technique. The microstructure of the deposited Ni-P nanoglass was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The formation of the Ni-P nanoglass, which is characterized by inhomogeneities on the nanometer length scale, is achieved via proper control of the rate of cluster formation and cluster growth by a multi-phase pulsed electrodeposition process.