Experimental and mathematical analysis of electroformed rotating cone electrode

Abstract

In this study, we present results of a mathematical model in which the governing equations of electroforming process were solved using a robust finite element solver (COMSOL Multiphysics). The effects of different parameters including applied current density, solution electrical conductivity, electrode spacing, and anode height on the copper electroforming process have been investigated. An electroforming experiment using copper electroforming cell was conducted to verify the developed model. The obtained results show that by increasing the applied current density, the electroforming process takes place faster, thereby resulting in a higher thickness of the electroformed layer. In addition, higher applied current density led to non-uniformity of the coated layer. It was revealed that by increasing electrolytic conductivity from 5 to 20 S/m, the electroformed layer became thicker. By considering three different anode heights, it was found that if the cathode and anode are the same height, the process will be more effective. Finally, it was concluded that there is an optimum value of anode-cathode spacing: above it, energy consumption and plating time are high; while below it, the resultant layer is non-uniform. The present study demonstrates that the developed model can accurately capture the physics of electroforming with a reasonable computational time.