Copper deposits obtained by pulsating overpotential regime with a long pause and pulse duration from sulfated solutions

Abstract

The morphologies of the copper deposits obtained by pulsating overpotential regime with prolonged pulse and pause durations from the solution of 0.15 M CuSO4 in 0.50 M H2SO4 at overpotentials lower, higher and belonging to the plateau of limiting diffusion current density were compared with those obtained by the same electrodeposition regime from solutions of 0.075 and 0.30 M CuSO4 in 0.50 M H2SO4 and 0.15 M CuSO4 in 0.25 and 1.00 M H2SO4 at overpotentials outside the plateau of limiting diffusion current density. These samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis and the cathodic polarization characteristics from solutions compared. Increasing the Cu(II) concentration led to an increase in the limiting diffusion current density. Decreasing the H2SO4 concentration shifts both beginning and the end of the plateau of the limiting diffusion current density towards higher electrodeposition overpotentials. Also, electrodeposition in solutions of 0.15 M CuSO4 in 0.25 and 1.00 M H2SO4 led to the formation of morphological forms of copper deposits characteristic for electrodeposition of copper from higher CuSO4 or lower H2SO4 in solution at some higher overpotentials.