Effects of Deposition Time and Phosphorus Concentration on the Structural, Morphological, and Magnetic Properties of Galvanostatically Electrodeposited NiFeP Thin Films

The influence of varying parameters such as current density (5–20 mA/cm2), bath temperature (30–90 °C), deposition time (15–60 min), and phosphorus concentration (0.1–0.4 M) on the successful synthesis of NiFeP thin films using the electrodeposition method was examined. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms the tetragonal crystalline structure of the deposited films, with consistent lattice constants and fine crystallinity. Increasing current density improves the intensity of the NiFeP (112) peak, validating the tetragonal phase. No impurity peaks are detected, indicating a single-phase tetragonal NiFeP. Scanning electron microscopy reveals the agglomeration of nano NiFeP particles and the formation of crack-free coatings at higher current densities. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirms the absence of contaminants and a matching atomic ratio of Ni to Fe. Magnetic analysis shows increasing saturation magnetization with current density and bath temperature, reaching maximum values at specific conditions. A phosphorus concentration of 0.3 M exhibits higher magnetization. The Vickers hardness test demonstrates that higher current density increases microhardness, likely due to lower stress, while hardness decreases with increasing bath temperature.