Electrochemical and Crystallographic Aspects of Lead Granular Growth

Abstract

Lead granules synthesized by the potentiostatic regime of electrolysis were characterized by the scanning electron microscopy technique. Effect of the different parameters of electrolysis, such as solution composition, overpotential of electrodeposition, and quantity of the electricity, on lead granular growth has been systematically investigated. Aside from the electrochemical aspects of lead granular growth, crystallographic aspects of the obtained granules were also analyzed. In the dependence of the electrodeposition conditions, granules of various shapes were obtained. The granules, such as octahedrons and hexagons, as well as many various types of twinned particles: single-twinned, multiply-twinned, lamellar-twinned, and many other complicated shapes denoted as polyparticles, were synthesized through regulation of the parameters of electrolysis. Increasing both the concentration of Pb2+ ions and overpotential of the electrodeposition favored the formation of more complicated forms. Formation of granules of specified crystallographic characteristics was also correlated with the basic principle of metal electrocrystallization.