The effect of the pause-to-pulse ratio on the morphology of metal powder particles electrodeposited by square-wave pulsating overpotential

Abstract

It is well known that the deposition conditions such as bath composition, hydrodynamic regime, temperature, current density, exhibit a strong effect on the grain size and the morphology of electrodeposited metal powder particles [1, 2]. On the other hand it has been shown recently [3] that similar effects can be obtained by changing only the shape of the current overpotential waves in metal powder electrodeposition at a periodically changing rate with other conditions constant. This is in accordance with Ibl's observation [4] that, at one and the same average deposition rate (current density), it is possible to create a number of different deposition conditions in the pulsating regimes. In square-wave pulsating overpotential electrolysis the overpotential amplitude, frequency of pulsation and pause-to-pulse ratio can be varied independently. The purpose of this work is to discuss the effect of the last parameter on the morphology of electrodeposited metal powder particles on the basis of the existing experimental evidence.