Nickel-based nanocomposite coatings were prepared from a Watts-type electrolyte containing reinforcement’s particles (silicon carbide and graphite) to deposit onto the steel St-37 substrate. The electrochemical plating of the coatings in absence and presence of surfactants and reinforcements particles was carried out to optimize high quality coatings with appropriate mechanical and morphological features. The surfactants such as cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), sodyumdodecyl sulfate (SDS), and saccharine affected electrodeposition plating and subsequently changed mechanical characteristics. Based on XRD results, the dominant phases in the absence of surfactants were nickel oxide (NiO), nickel, and silicon carbide (SiC), while the main phases in presence of surfactants were nickel (Ni) and SiC. The hardness of the resultant coatings was found to be from 332 to 593 (Hv) depending on the bath parameter and the reinforcements weight percentage (wt%) in the Ni matrix. Microscopic observations illustrated a cluster-like structure which consisted of some fine sphere particulates with average particle size of 65–150？nm. According to elemental mapping spectra, a homogenous distribution of nickel, silicon, and carbon particles appeared into the nickel matrix coating. Finally, the experimental outcomes demonstrated that the surfactants have significant influence on the composition of coatings, surface morphology, and mechanical properties. 1. Introduction The recent researches in surface engineering were significantly focused on the development of low carbon steels (St-37) surfaces which can meet the industrial request [1–4]. The mechanical properties of many parts of surfaces were promoted by coating of numerous pure metals, ceramics, and alloys which can be deposited with fine grain sizes, for example, Ni, Pd, Cu, Ni–P, Ni–W, and Ni–Fe–Cr [5, 6]. Furthermore, various methods such as electrodeposition, ion implantation, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), laser beam deposition, physical vapor deposition (PVD), plasma, and high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) spraying have been developed [7, 8]. Among these procedures, electrochemical plating is a proper method with remarkable features such as easy maintainability, easy low working temperatures, low cost, and high production rate [9]. In chemical techniques, surfactants have been used to absorb much more fine particles into the matrix, so that the repulsion force between particles with the same charges can be increased. This, in turn, reduces the agglomeration and provides a solution with more stable particles. It
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