Comparative Analysis of Residual Stresses Determined by Various Methods in Brush-Plated Hard Gold and Silver Coatings

Abstract

The investigated brush-plated silver and gold coatings are used for refining the surface properties of electric apparatuses. Tensile residual stresses generated in the plated coatings were determined with a thin-walled ring substrate using the curvature and instrumented indentation techniques. These stresses relax over time; the dependence of relaxation time was approximated by a linear-fractional function. The modulus of elasticity and the nanohardness of the coatings were determined by nanoindentation. The surface morphology and structure in cross-section of the coated substrates are presented.