Nickel–phosphorus (Ni–P) coatings are attractive due to their promising corrosion resistance and mechanical strength, enabling them to find their suitable utility for many industrial applications. However, considering more challenging operational requirements, further improvement in their properties is essential. Towards this direction, Ni–P based composite coatings reinforced with varying concentrations of submicron-scale (1-3 μm) Niobium carbide (NbC) particles (0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00 g/L) were developed through an electrodeposition technique. Structural and compositional analysis confirm the formation of phase-pure composite coatings and the successful co-deposition of NbC particles within a Ni–P matrix exhibiting a semi-crystalline structure. It is revealed that the incorporation of NbC particles has a significant influence on properties. The addition of NbC particles provides heterogeneous nucleation sites and thus leads to gradual grain refinement. The hardness, wear, and erosion properties show a gradual improvement with the addition of NbC particles in the Ni-P matrix, which can be attributed to the phenomenon of dispersion hardening. Similarly, an improvement in corrosion resistance is also observed with the increasing amount of NbC particles when added to the Ni-P matrix. This improvement can be ascribed to the reduction in the active area and pore filling because of NbC particles. Finally, the COMSOL study successfully reveals the current distribution and coating thickness development with time during the electrodeposition process.
