Systems and methods for electrodeposition of tungsten disulfide coatings

A method, comprising:

• coupling a power source to a surface of a substrate and to an electrode, the surface being conductive, the power source being a DC power source;
• immersing the surface of the substrate and the electrode into an aqueous solution, the aqueous solution including sodium metabisulfite in an amount of between 9 wt % and 20 wt %, sodium tungstate in an amount of between 4 wt % and 10 wt %, a surfactant in an amount of between 9 wt % and 20 wt %, and a pH modifier;
• and
• forming a tungsten disulfide layer on the surface of the substrate by:
• applying, via the power source, a pulsed current to the surface of the substrate and the electrode in the aqueous solution;
• and
• maintaining the pulsed current for a predetermined period of time,
• wherein the tungsten disulfide layer, after removing the substrate from the aqueous solution, is between 1 μm and 2 μm.

A method, comprising:

• coupling a power source to a surface of a substrate and to an electrode, the surface being conductive, the power source being a DC power source;
• immersing the surface of the substrate and the electrode into an aqueous solution, the aqueous solution including sodium metabisulfite in an amount of between 9 wt % and 20 wt %, sodium tungstate in an amount of between 4 wt % and 10 wt %, a surfactant in an amount of between 9 wt % and 20 wt %, and a pH modifier;
• forming a first tungsten disulfide layer on the surface of the substrate by:
• applying, via the power source, a first pulsed current to the surface of the substrate and the electrode in the aqueous solution, and
• maintaining the first pulsed current for a first predetermined period of time;
• and
• forming a second tungsten disulfide layer on the first tungsten disulfide layer by:
• adjusting a pH of the aqueous solution from between 6.0 to 7.5 to between 7.5 to 9.0,
• applying, via the power source, a second pulsed current to the first tungsten disulfide layer and the electrode in the aqueous solution, and
• maintaining the second pulsed current for a second predetermined period of time.