Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) is a potential coating technique for surface hardening of steel when combined with a subsequent rapid sintering process. This process requires synergy between suspension particles and charging agent, particularly when the particles involved are noncolloidal in nature. The present work will investigate the effect of three commercially-available cationic charging agents; aluminium (III) chloride (AlCl3), polyethyleneimine (PEI) and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) on the EPD of coarse Ti particles onto steel. The obtained Ti coatings were characterized by their surface microstructure, deposit yield, electrophoretic mobility and electrical conductivity. The key finding of the present study is the bonding strength of charging agent-adsorbed coarse Ti particles deposits predominantly controlled their deposit yield. Electrophoretic mobility of the Ti particles only played a lesser role in the deposit yield because of strong hindrance of gravity on the moving coarse particles. Charging agent, which gave the strongest to the weakest bonding strength is as follow: AlCl3, PDADMAC (Mw = 100,000 -200,000 amu), PDADMAC (Mw = 400,000 -500,000 amu), PEI
