Aluminium and Magnesium Alloy Synthesis by Means of Underpotential Deposition from Low Temperature Melts

Abstract

Modern industries have shown ever-growing hunger for alloys with very specific characteristics. Formation of intermetallic compounds during electrodeposition seems to be an attractive way to develop alloys with such new properties. By co-depositing two or more metals, electrodeposition can offer a possibility of composing alloys that are otherwise not attainable. It is known that electrodeposited alloys may differ considerably in their phase constitution from alloys with equivalent chemical composition that are obtained by thermal metallurgical methods. Almost fifty years ago, the phenomenon of underpotential deposition (UPD) was recognized and defined as a deposition of a metal on another metal at the potential more positive than its reversible potential. Since then, underpotential deposition involving different pairs of metals was studied in various electrolytes. Alloy formation due to interdiffusion between the underpotential layer and the substrate became apparent in some UPD studies performed in melts. Our research is aimed at investigating UPD alloy formation of aluminium and magnesium in low temperature chloroaluminate and nitrate melts. Alloy substrate materials under study are gold, platinum, silver, copper, iron, zinc, cadmium, palladium, zirconium and vanadium. Results show alloys of constitution that could have rare characteristics of interest for aerospace, semiconductor, electronic, biomedical, nuclear and other fast developing industries.