Electrochemical Nucleation and Growth of Metals in Molten Salts

Abstract

Investigation of electrochemical nucleation and growth mechanism is of great significance for controlling morphology of elctrodeposited metals on substrate. However, information concerning nucleation and growth mechanism in molten salts has not been sufficient, although it is necessary to understand growth processes of electrodeposition of metals in molten salt for realizing practical process. In particular, investigation of electrodeposited metals at early stage is expected to give us new information about morphogenetic process during electrolysis in molten salts. From the background, molten chloride salts containing silicon ions was used for studying electrochemical nucleation and growth mechanism of metallic silicon by using electrochemical techniques combined with micro-spectroscopic techniques. After conducing electrolysis for one second, hemispherical nucleated Si was observed by SEM, and process of agglomeration was also observed as time proceeded. The effect of time evolution on growth process has been also studied by conduction potentiostatic electrolysis. The growth mechanisum from the experiments will be presented at the symposium.