Aluminium electrodeposition from chloroaluminate melts

Abstract

Electrodeposited aluminium from a low temperature equimolar chloroaluminate melt onto a planar aluminium cathode was investigated. Experimental techniques used were linear sweep voltammetry, potential step and analytical techniques were SEM and EDS. Results show that a relatively adherent and compact aluminium deposit featuring high surface area can be successfully electrodeposited from melts at 200◦C. Electrodeposition done under potentiostatic control indicates that aluminium deposits are made up of extremely small particles of irregular shape and that a moderate increase in applied overpotential leads to decrease in crystallite down to nanoparticle size. Surface morphology of the Al deposit can be optimized by adjusting electrodeposition parameters.