Empirical model to predict mass gain of cobalt electroless deposition on ceramic particles using response surface methodology

Abstract This investigation was undertaken to predict the mass gain (MG) of cobalt electroless deposition (ED) on ceramic SiC particles. Response surface methodology (RSM) based on a full factorial design with three ED parameters and 30 runs was used to conduct the experiments and to establish a mathematical model by means of Design‐Expert software. Three ED parameters considered were pH, bath temperature and ceramic particle morphology. Analysis of variance was applied to validate the predicted model. The results of confirmation analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) show that the developed models are reasonably accurate. The pH is the most effective parameter for the MG. Also, the highest mass gain is obtained for the lowest pH, highest bath temperatures and heat‐treated SiC particles. In addition, the developed model shows that the optimal parameters to get a maximum value of mass gain are pH, bath temperature and ceramic particle state of 8, 70 °C and heat treatment, respectively.