Gaddavalasa, Nithin ChandraLodh, ArijitCini, AndreaSaaran, VinodhenMehmanparast, AliStarr, AndrewCastelluccio, Gustavo M.2025-04-242025-04-242025-06-15Gaddavalasa NC, Lodh A, Cini A, et al., (2025) Designing nickel coatings for water erosion performance: optimisation of grain size and thickness. Engineering Failure Analysis, Volume 175, June 2025, Article number 1095641350-6307https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfailanal.2025.109564https://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/23793Metallic coatings are gaining interest as an alternative to classical polymeric layers for erosion damage prevention due to their extended durability and sustainability. However, their implementation requires a thorough understanding of protective potential and reliability. This study explores the use of brush-plated nickel coatings on carbon-fibre reinforced composites to enhance their performance against water erosion. A combination of experimental analysis and computational modeling explores the effect of different coating thickness and properties to withstand water droplet erosion damage. Findings reveal a minimum critical coating thickness around 40 μ m can significantly improve the erosion resistance.enAttribution 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/40 Engineering4016 Materials EngineeringMechanical Engineering & Transports4005 Civil engineering4016 Materials engineering4017 Mechanical engineeringArticle672776109564175