Grain-size Characteristics of Sediment in Daniugou Peatland in Changbai Mountains,Northeast China:Implications for Atmospheric Dust Deposition

The grain-size distribution characteristics and grain-size parameters of sediment in two vertical sections of Daniugou peatland in the Changbai Mountains were systematically investigated.A comparative analysis of the sediment granularity using a discriminative function with Hongyuan peat,red clay,loess-paleosol,fluvial deposit as well as lacustrine deposit was also conducted.It turns out that the vertical section of Daniugou peat ash is primarily constituted by clay and silt particles,and the content of sand is relatively small.Grain-size frequency curves generally show a single-peak modality while a bimodal pattern is detected in the upper layer.The grain-size component and peak pattern of grain-size frequency curves also illustrate that peat ash materials were transported to the peatland by long-range aeolian dust during the deposition process,while there existed short-distance dust influence in peat deposition of the upper layer.Comparisons of grain-size parameters and the discriminative Y-value of Daniugou peat ash with those of typical aeolian sediments show close similarities,suggesting the possibility that atmospheric dust transport processes were involved in the accumulation of peat again.Moreover,the variations of grain-size distribution suggest the local environmental deterioration which is just the driving force of local dust elevation.Grain-size analysis of peatland sediment is demonstrated to be one effective method to extract information about regional and global environmental evolution,and more attention should be paid to current local ecological environment and to seeking a balance between economic development and environmental protection in Northeast China.

Sulfur isotopic composition of seafloor hydrothermal sediment from the Jade hydrothermal field in the central Okinawa Trough and its geological significance

Eighteen samples of hydrothermal sediments from the Jade hydrothermal field in the central Okinawa Trough have been analyzed. Sulfur isotopic values for 10 sulfide samples vary from 5.2× 10^(-3)to 7.2× 10^(-3), δ^(34)S values for 7 sulfate samples vary from 16.3 × 10^(-3) to 22.3 × 10^(-3), and 1 native sulphur sample has a δ^(34)S value of 8.2 × 10^(-3). The major sources of sulfur for hydrothermal sediment are intermediate to acid volcanic rocks and sea water sulfate, and it is possible that the partial sulfur of hydrothermal sediment is from the pelagic sediment by the interaction between hydrothermal fluid and sediment. The reasons of causing the distinct differences in sulfur isotopic values for sulfide samples from hydrothermal sediment ( compared with other hydrothermal fields), are the differences in the sources of sulfur, the magmatic activity and the tectonic evolution in different hydrothermal fields. The sulfur evolution is a long and complex process in the seafloor hydrothermal system, involving the ascending of heating sea water, the interaction between fluid and volcanic rocks, the mixing of sea water sulfate and sulfur from intermediate to acid volcanic rocks, and the fluid/pelagic-sediment interaction. And the interaction between sea water and intermediate to acid volcanic rocks is an important mechanism for the sulfur evolution in the Jade hydrothermal field.

Rare-earth and trace elements and hydrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions of Cretaceous kaolinitic sediments from the Lower Benue Trough, Nigeria: provenance and paleoclimatic significance

This study evaluated the Cretaceous(Campanian–Maastrichtian) kaolinitic sediments of the Ajali/Mamu and Enugu/Nkporo Formations from the Lower Benue Trough of Nigeria. A combined method of inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry and isotope ratio mass spectrometry was used to investigate trace and rareearth element geochemistry and hydrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions. These data were then used to infer the sediments' provenance and paleoclimatic conditions during their deposition. The sediments contained low concentrations of most trace elements, with the exceptions of Zr(651–1352 ppm), Ba(56–157 ppm), V(38–90 ppm),and Sr(15.1–59.6 ppm). Average values of Co and Ni were1.5 and 0.7 ppm, respectively. Trace and rare earth element values were lower than corresponding values for upper continental crust and Post-Archean Australian Shale, with the exception of Zr. The samples showed only slight light rare-earth enrichment and nearly flat heavy rare-earth depletion patterns, with negative Eu and Tm anomalies,typical of felsic sources. Geochemical parameters such as La/Sc, Th/Sc, and Th/Co ratios support that the kaolinitic sediments were derived from a felsic rock source, likely deposited in an oxic environment.^(18 )O values ranged from+ 15.4 to + 21.2% for the investigated samples, consistent with a residual material derived from chemicalweathering of felsic rock and redeposited in a sedimentary basin(typical values of + 19 to + 21.2%). While in the basin, the sediments experienced extended interactions with meteoric water enriched in d D and d16 O. However,the variation in d D and d16 O values for the investigated samples is attributed to the high temperature of formation(54–91 °C). The d D and d^(18 )O values suggest that the sediments, although obtained from different localities within the Lower Benue Trough, formed under similar hot,tropical climatic conditions.

Grain-size distribution patterns of suspended sediment in response to hydrodynamics on the Dafeng intertidal flat, Jiangsu, China

Patterns of grain-size distributions of suspended sediment in relation to resuspension, settling, and tidal processes are investigated, based on in situ measurements over the Dafeng intertidal flat, on the Jiangsu coast, in the summer of 2002 and 2003. The suspended sediment here is dominated by fine and very fine silt, with a mean grain-size of 7 - 13 μm. The patterns of the grainsize distributions of suspended sediment during a tidal cycle are characterized by two types： one stable type representing insignificant spatial and temperal variations; and the other bimedal type with significant variations. The main factors influencing the grainsize distributions include resnspension, settling, suspended sediment imported into intertidal flats during the flood phase, and the grain-size distribution of seabed sediment. Resuspension increases the coarse particle content, enhances the mean grain-size of suspended sediment, and results in grain-size distributions for the suspended sediment similar to those of seabed sediment; the settling process has opposite effects on the suspended sediment. When resuspension occurs, the gain-size distributions of suspended sediment in the lower part of water column respond significantly to the current velocity. Where the influence of resuspension and settling processes is weak, the grain-size distributions of suspended sediment appear to be stable and almost identical for the various parts of intertidal flats during different measurement periods. Such distributions are referred to the background grain-size distribution, for which the mean grain-size over the Dafeng intertidal flat is around 7 μm.

Sources of organic matter and paleo-environmental implications inferred from carbon isotope compositions of lacustrine sediments at Inexpressible Island, Ross Sea, Antarctica

The carbon isotopic composition of organic matter （δ^13Corg） was determined in two sediment cores （IIL1 and IIL9） recovered from Inexpressible Island, Ross Sea, Antarctica, and analyzed to identify the sources of that organic matter. The δ^13Corg values of sediments of IIL9 were found to vary between -14.6‰ and -11.6‰, with a mean of-13.4‰ （n=48）. These values were significantly higher than those of IIL1 sediments which varied between -23.2‰ and -20.4‰, with a mean of-21.8%o （n=55）. The variation in δ^13Corg values in these two sediment cores indicate different sources of organic matter, The relatively high 6~3Corg values in IIL9 are in accordance with a source from algae, while the low δ^13Corg values in IIL1 evince significant influence from penguin guano with algae as the secondary source. Compared with the reference data from other high-latitude lake sediments and plants, the δ^13Corg values in IIL9 were extremely high, a result likely related to intense competition for CO2 assimilation among algal species during the growing season in this relatively shallow pond. These results indicate that sedimentary δ^13Corg is a reliable proxy for paleo-primary productivity in ponds at Inexpressible Island.

Spatial variation in grain-size population of surface sediments from northern Bering Sea and western Arctic Ocean: Implications for provenance and depositional mechanisms

In general,sediments in nature comprise populations of various diameters.Accurate information regarding the sources and depositional mechanisms of the populations can be obtained through their temporal and spatial comparisons.In this study,the grain size distribution of surface sediments from the Bering Sea and western Arctic Ocean were fitted and partitioned into populations using a log-normal distribution function.The spatial variations in the populations indicate differences in their sources and deposition mechanisms.The sediments on most of the Bering Sea Shelf originated from the Yukon River,and were transported westward by waves and currents.However,the presence of a coarser population outside Anadyr Bay was the result of Anadyr River transport.Additionally,a northward transport trend of fine suspended particles was observed on the west side of the Bering Sea Shelf.The sediments in Hope Valley in the south Chukchi Sea also originated from the Yukon River.The coarser population on the central Chukchi Sea Shelf originated from coast of Alaska to the east,not the Yukon River,and was transported by sea ice and bottom brine water.The populations of sediments from the Chukchi Basin and the base of the Chukchi Sea Slope are the result of sea ice and eddy action.Surface sediments from the western high Arctic Ocean predominantly comprised five populations,and two unique populations with mode diameters of 50–90μm and 200–400μm,respectively,were ubiquitous in the glacial and interglacial sediments.It was difficult to distinguish whether these two populations originated from sea ice or icebergs.Therefore,caution should be exercised when using either the>63μm or>250μm fractions in sediments as a proxy index for iceberg and ice sheet variation in the high Arctic Ocean.

Grain-size distribution characteristics of red sandy sediments in Dongjiang River valley,southern Nanling Mountains,during the MIS2 stage

Layer LJ3 of Linjiang stratigraphic section in Dongjiang River valley in the south of the Nanling Mountains is a set of red sandy sediments.Measured by thermoluminescence(TL) dating,it was found to be formed in MIS2-9,500 ± 800 yr to 19,600 ± 1,800 yr B.P.After analy-sis of the grain sizes of the 16 samples(LJ3-100 to LJ3-85) in this layer,it was discovered that(1) The contents of each grain group in dif-ferent samples are similar.(2) The values of Md,Mz,,Sk,and Kg vary from LJ3-100 to LJ3-85 in a narrow range.(3) The segments of each sample in the accumulative curves extend parallel with similar slopes.All the three aspects reveal the Aeolian characteristics of Layer LJ3.Therefore,it is thought that Layer LJ3 consists of red sandy sediments formed in MIS2 in the south of Nanling Mountain,which reflects the arid climate at that time.

Distribution and composition of authigenic minerals in surface sediments of the western Gulf of Thailand

Generation, morphology, and distribution of authigenic minerals directly reflect sedimentary environment and material sources. Surface sediments were collected from the western Gulf of Thailand during 2011–2012, and 159 samples were analyzed to determine detrital minerals. Authigenic minerals, including siderite, pyrite, and glauconite, are abundant whereas secondary minerals, such as chlorite and limonite, are distributed widely in the study area. Siderite has a maximum content of 19.98 g/kg and appears in three types from nearshore to continental shelf, showing the process of forming-maturity-oxidation. In this process, the Mn O content in siderite decreases, but FeOand Mg O content increase. Colorless or transparent siderite pellets are fresh grains generated within a short time and widely distributed throughout the region; high content appears in coastal area where river inputs are discharged. Translucent cemented double pellets appearing light yellow to red are mature grains; high content is observed in the central shelf. Red-brown opaque granular pellets are oxidized grains,which are concentrated in the eastern gulf. Pyrite is mostly distributed in the central continental shelf with an approximately north–south strip. Pyrite are mainly observed in foraminifera shell and distributed in clayey silt sediments, which is similar to that in the Yangtze River mouth and the Yellow Sea. The pyrite in the gulf is deduced from genetic types associated with sulfate reduction and organic matter decomposition. Majority of glauconite are granular with few laminar. Glauconite is concentrated in the northern and southern parts within the boundary of 9.5° to 10.5°N and is affected by river input diffusion. The distribution of glauconite is closely correlated with that of chlorite and plagioclase, indicating that glauconite is possibly derived from altered products of chlorite and plagioclase. The KO content of glauconite is low or absent, indicating its short formation time.

Characteristic Elemental Compositions of the Yangtze River and Yellow River Surface Sediments and Their Geological Background

Significant differences are noticed in major and trace element compositions between the Yangtze River and the Yellow River surface sediments. The former sediments are rich in some major elements such as K, Fe, Mg, Al, and most of the trace elements which show wide variations in element concentrations, whereas the Yellow River sediments only have higher Ca, Na, Sr, Ba, Th, Ga, Zr, Hf contents and show slight variations in element contents. In the Yangtze River Basin are widely distributed intermediate\|acid igneous rocks and complicated source rocks together with strong chemical weathering which determine the elemental compositions of the Yangtze River sediments, while the elemental compositions of the Yellow River sediments are decided by the chemical composition of loess from the Loess Plateau and intense physical weathering. Cu, Zn, Sc, Ti, Fe, V, Ni, Cr, Co, Li and Be can be used to distinguish the Yangtze River sediments from the Yellow River sediments and be treated as tracers for both the sediments to study the processes of their mixing and diffusion in the coastal zones of China.

ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACT ON THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION IN THE TAIHU LAKE SEDIMENT

The concentrations of major elements and some trace elements were determined at 8 core locations in Taihu Lake. The chemical composition of the cores was related to the sediment particle size-chronology and location of sampling site.Concentrations of Al, Mg, K, Ca and Na, the major mineral species in the sediments, were generally uniform, with only slight fluctuation influenced by water waves and current. Surface enrichment of Cu, Zn, and Ni at some locations was observed to be greater than that of the sediments accumulated 100 years ago. The enrichment of these elements is attributed to anthropogenic input in recent years. Concentration profiles for Mn and Fe are related to the migration of these elements in the pore water.

Sulfur isotopic composition of modern seafloor hydrothermal sediment and its geological significance

A total of 1 264 sulfur isotopic values for modern seafloor hydrothermel sediments from different hydrothermal fields have been collected.On this basis,combining our sulfur isotpic data for surface hydrothermal sediments from the Jade hydrohtermal field in the Okinawa Trough and the TAG hydrothermal field in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge,respectively,and comparing the sulfur isotopic compositions and analyzing their sources of sulfur in seafloor hydrothermal sediments from different geologic-tectonic setting,the results show that:(1) sulfur isotopic values of sulfides and sulfates in modern seafloor hydrothermal sediments are concentrated in a narrow range,δ 34S values of sulfides vary from 1×10 -3 to 9×10 -3,with a mean of 4.5×10 -3 (n=1042),δ 34S values of sulfates vary from 19×10 -3 to 24×10 -3,with a mean of 21.3×10 -3(n=217);(2) comparing the sulfur isotopic compositions of hydrothermal sediments from the sediment-hosted hydrothermal fields,the range of sulfur isotopic values for hydrothermal sediments from the sediment-free hydrothermal fields is narrow relatively;(3) the differences of sulfur isotopic compositions in sulfides from different hydrothermal fields show the differences in the sources of sulfur.The sulfur of hydrothermal sulfides in the sediment-free mid-ocean ridges is mainly from mid- ocean ridge basalt,and partially from the reduced seawater sulfate,and it is the result of partially reduced seawater sulfate mixed with basaltic sulfur.In the sediment-hosted mid-ocean ridges and the back-arc basins,the volcanics,the sediments and the organic matters also can offer their sulfur for forming hydrothermal sulfides;(4)the variations of sulfur isotopic compositions and the different sources of sulfur for hydrothermal sediments may be attributed to the various physical-chemical characteristics of hydrothermal fluids,the magmatic evolution and the different geologic-tectonic settings of seafloor hydrothermal systems.

Composition and distribution of diatom assemblages in the surface sediments of the Bering Sea

Diatoms collected from the top 1 cm of the surface sediment layer at seven Bering Sea stations during the Fourth Chi- nese National Arctic Research Expedition （4th CH1NARE-Arctic） in 2010 were studied. In total, 101 taxa belonging to 38 genera were found. The species were divided into four groups： eurythermal species, boreal-temperate species, polar species, and sea-ice species. The diatom assemblages at the stations in the southwestern basin area were primarily composed of boreal-temperate species, such as Neodenticula seminae, Thalassiosira trifulta, Rhizosolenia hebetata f. hiemalis, and Actinocyclus curvatulus. The northeastern shelf stations were dominated by polar species, including Fragilariopsis oceanica, Thalassiosira antarctica spora, Thalassiosira nordensldoeldii, and Thalassiosira hyalina. The overall abundance was highest at the basin stations with 3.7 ×10^6 cells·g^-1 of wet sediment, whereas the eastern shelf stations had the lowest abundance of 0.7×10^6 cells·g^-1 of wet sediment （excluding the resting spores of Chaetoceros spp.）. The relationship between the distribution of the surface sediment diatom assemblages and the environment is discussed.

Laboratory Application of Laser Grain-Size Analyzer in Determining Suspended Sediment Concentration

Suspended sediment concentration(SSC) is an important parameter in marine sedimentology. With the development of technology, many acoustic and optical devices, such as the Laser In-Situ Scattering and Transmissometry, have been designed to measure in situ SSC and grain size distribution. But due to fund or other restrictions, many experiments were only conducted in laboratory, using an indoor laser grain-size analyzer and gravimetric method to measure grain size distribution and concentration, respectively. In this study the laboratory experiment is simplified by omitting the tiring step of gravimetric method. The connections between SSC and other parameters(obscuration, D50 and sorting index) were investigated based on 124 surface sediment samples collected from different offshore areas. A new method is developed for determining SSC in laboratory using a laser grain-size analyzer.

Multiple grain-size fraction analysis of heavy minerals and the provenance identification of sediments from the abandoned Huanghe River,eastern China

The quantitative analysis of sediment sources in a sink is an important scientific topic and challenge in provenance research.The characteristics of heavy minerals,combined with the geochemical constituents of detrital grains,provide a reliable provenance-tracing approach.We developed a mineral identification method to analyze the multiple grain-size fraction of sediments,from which the elemental geochemistry of hornblende was used to compare the characteristics of sediments from the Huaihe River and Huanghe(Yellow)River in eastern China.Elements that were statistically identified as being able to discriminate sediment provenance were employed to perform a quantitative analysis of the sources of sediments of the abandoned Huanghe River.Results reveal that the Huaihe River is characterized by a high amphibole content of>60%and that the Huanghe and abandoned Huanghe rivers have greater abundances of limonite and carbonate minerals compared with those of the Huaihe River.The contents of trace elements and rare earth elements in hornblende show that the sediments of the abandoned Huanghe River are similar to those of the Huanghe River but different from those of the Huaihe River.Furthermore,chemical mass balance was used to calculate the relative contributions of different provenances of sediment from the abandoned Huanghe River,and nine trace elements of hornblende were identified as discriminators of provenance.Approximately 2%of the hornblende in the abandoned Huanghe River is derived from the Huaihe River and 98%from the Huanghe River.Considering the proportion of hornblende in the total sediment,it is inferred that the contribution of Huaihe River sediment to the abandoned Huanghe River is approximately 0.5%.This study shows that mineral analysis using multiple grain-size fractions(within the wide range of 1Φto 6Φ)with assessment in elemental geochemistry of hornblende can characterize the provenance of fluvial material in coastal zones.

Transport-Limited Denudation Regime Inferred from Sand Petrography and Chemical Composition: Cenozoic Sediments from the Guadiana Basin (SW Spain)

The Guadiana Basin is an E-W intraplate Cenozoic basin located in SW of the Iberian Peninsula, covering an area close to 6000 km2. NE-SW Alpine faults divide the basin into two subbasins: the Vegas Altas (VA) to the East, and the Vegas Bajas (VB) to the West. Sedimentary record consists of <200 m thick of sediments, arranged in two main depositional sequences, DS1 and DS2. Petrographic analysis of sediment sandy-fraction combined with geochemical analysis of <2 mm fraction permit to infer provenance and factors controlling sediment composition. Petrographic analysis of sandy-fraction reveals provenance from basin margins lithologies. In VA subbasin, quartzolithic petrofacies characterized eastern subbasin infill related to the erosion of Neoproterozoic and Palaeozoic metasediments. To the West quartzofeldspathic petrofacies predominates, associated with the erosion of coarse-grained plutonites and short distance transport of their products. Intermediate petrofacies characterizes clastic deposits from the VB. Chemical analysis of clastic deposits corroborates a main felsic origin of sediments with a composition that fits well with the upper crust compositional norm and with the Neoproterozoic Iberian Average Shale (NIBAS). In addition, minor contributions from mafic sources can be identified in DS1 from VB, manifested by anomalies in the content of Co, Ni, Cr, V and Sc. Different stages of weathering (from intermediate to intense) can be deduced by the analysis of both, sandy-fraction petrography and bulk sediment geochemistry. This fact is related to the great hiatus at the base of the Cenozoicbasin infill. Transport-limited denudation regimes can be inferred by the presence of high and intermediate weathered and texturalyinmature sediments. In addition, trace element ratios suggest local enrichment in dense minerals, attributable to recycling processes from metasediments. Finally, the sedimentary record of the Guadiana Basin is constituted by immature sediments formed by limited transsport processes of very variable weathered products from recycled metasedimentary and first-order sediments from granitoids.

Features of the Mineral Composition of the Quaternary Sediments of the Development Areas of the Erosion Processes on the Territory of the Tunkinsk’s Depression

The article considers the some features of the Quaternary sediments mineral composition of the development areas of the erosion processes on the territory of the Tunkinsk’s depression.Main objectives of our research are to determine the entering forms of Na,Mg,Al,Si,P,S,K,Ca,Ti,Cr,Mn,Fe,Zn,Cu,Zr,and Ba in the composition of the investigated sediments.The mineral composition was studied by the method of an electron probe X-ray spectral microanalysis(XRM)using wave spectrometers,and the method of X-ray diffraction analysis.The localization centers of Cr,Cu,Zn,Zr,and Ba were established in the mineral composition of the studied sediments.Maximum content of BaO(14.42 wt%)was detected in alkali K-feldspar in the clay sediments of modern alluvial complex(aQ4).Crystallochemical formulas of different minerals were obtained.

Boron Isotopic Composition of Halite from 46-m-long Sediment Core in the Qarhan Salt Lake,Western China

Previous studies have investigated the boron isotopic composition of salt lake brines in the Qaidam Basin,western China.However,the research on boron isotopic composition of halite is very limited due to halite’s low

Experimental Study on the Effect of Sediment Composition Ratio on Shallow Water Delta

1 Introduction Shallow water delta in the middle-newborn Stratum Widely developed with huge oil and gas in China(Hu Shengwu et al.,2013).The control factors on the deltadevelopment like Climate,sea level,tectonic subsidence,sediment supply(flow,type),the geometric characteristics of the upstream river,the energy(wave,

Iron Isotope Compositions of Natural River and Lake Samples in the Karst Area,Guizhou Province,Southwest China

To better understand the Fe isotope characteristics of natural samples in the Karst area,the Fe isotope compositions of riverine suspended particulates,lake suspended particulates,lake sediments,porewaters,phytoplanktons,and aerosols in the watersheds of Lake Aha（a mineralized water system）and Lake Hongfeng（a mesotrophic water system）,which are located in the Karst area, southwest China,were investigated.The studied samples displayed a variable range betweenδ^（56）Fe=-2.03‰and 0.36‰.Aerosols and phytoplanktons have similar or slightly heavier Fe isotope compositions relative to the average of igneous rocks.Fe isotope compositions of riverine Suspended Particulate Matter（SPM）were mainly affected by the types of tributaries.Suspended particulates collected from tributaries seriously contaminated with coal mine drainages displayed negativeδ^（56）Fe values（-0.89‰to-0.31‰）during summer,and there were significant increases ofδ^（56）Fe values in winter,except AR2,which was polluted with both coal mine drainage and sewage effluent. Characteristics of lakes have important influences on Fe isotope compositions of suspended particulates,lake sediments,and porewaters.The epilimnetic particulate Fe of Lake Hongfeng hadδ^（56）Fe=-0.04‰to 0.13‰,while lighter Fe isotope compositions were measured for particulate Fe from Lake Aha,ranging from-0.42‰to-0.09‰.Sediments collected from Hou Wu（HW）station of Lake Hongfeng have an averageδ^（56）Fe value of 0.09‰and their corresponding porewaters have lighter Fe isotope compositions,ranging from-0.57‰to-0.31‰;no significant variations have been observed. For the Liang Jiang Kou（LJK）station of Lake Aha,the content of reactive Fe and the concentration of sulfate were all high.Due to the reactive Fe recycling,including dissimilatory Fe reduction,adsorption, and Fe-sulfide formation,porewaters sampled near the sediment surface have been found to have aδ^（56）Fe value as low as-2.03‰and an increase up to 0.12‰,with a burial depth of 10 cm.In contrast,an opposite variation trend was found for LJK sediments.Sediments sampled at 1-cm depth had a value ofδ^（56）Fe=-0.59‰and decrease as low as-1.75‰with burial depth.This investigation demonstrated that significant Fe isotope fractionations occur in surface environments.Fe isotope compositions of particulate Fe were seriously affected by Fe sources,and Fe biogeochemical recycling has an important influence on Fe isotope fractionations in lake sediments,especially when there are significant amounts of reactive Fe and sulfate.

Fabrication and Characterization of Ni-Al_2O_3 Nano-Composite Coatings by Sediment Co-Deposition

Ni-Al2O3 nano-composite coatings were fabricated by sediment co-deposition (SCD) from Watt’s type electrolyte containing nano-Al2O3 particles without any additives. For comparison, Ni-Al2O3 nano-composite coatings were prepared by conventional electro-plating (CEP) under experimental conditions. Effects of process parameters, such as nano-Al2O3 concentration in plating solution, current density, stirring rate, and bath temperature, on nano-Al2O3 content in composite coatings were investigated. The distribution of elements in deposit, and the bonding strength between coating and substrate was analyzed by electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA) and auto-scratch apparatus, respectively. It is found that the nano-Al2O3 concentration in plating solution, current density and stirring rate are three main factors affecting the particles content in deposit, and played a key role in the formation of composite coatings. The nano-Al2O3 content in composite coatings increased with increasing of nano-Al2O3 concentration in plating solution, current density and stirring rate to reach a maximum value, and then reduced slightly. The contents of nano-Al2O3 particles in composite coatings by the SCD technique were higher than that by the CEP technique. The co-deposited nano-Al2O3 particles embedded uniformly in the Ni matrix. The coating was well adhesion with substrate. It is demonstrated that the SCD technique is an efficient approach for improving the nano-Al2O3 content in Ni-Al2O3 composite coatings.