Localized Electrochemical Deposition Using Copper Pyrophosphate-Based Electrolyte

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) has gained popularity across various industries due to its cost-effectiveness, low material consumption, and minimal environmental impact. Localized electrochemical deposition (LECD), as one of the AM methods, has the capability to produce microcomponents or structures at an microscale in a specific position as designed, without the need for any mask or support material[1]. By reducing copper ions in the local area according to the position of the micro-wire, 3D structures could be produced. This electrochemical deposition process has a significant advantage in that it is a low-temperature process and has lower costs compared to other processes[2].Using the LECD process, the micrometer of copper columns was conventionally deposited in copper sulfate-based electrolyte[3]. However, this electrolyte has the possibility to cause damage to the metal substrate used as the cathode due to its low pH, resulting in metal dissolution. The utilization of copper pyrophosphate-based electrolyte, which is a solution with a pH close to neutral, can solve this problem. Also, copper pyrophosphate-based electrolyte offers an advantage over conventional alkaline-based electrolytes in that it removes cyanide pollution of the environment and hazards to human health.[4]In this study, the microanode was employed using a platinum wire(100 μm in diameter), while a copper substrate was employed as the cathode in the electrochemical deposition process. The micrometer copper columns were deposited using copper pyrophosphate-based electrolyte by varying the main electrochemical deposition factors, such as applied potential and pulse duty cycle. In addition The surface morphology of the deposited micrometer-scale copper columns was observed through scanning electron microscopy.REFERENCES[1] Suryavanshi, Abhijit P., and Min-Feng Yu. "Probe-based electrochemical fabrication of freestanding Cu nanowire array." Applied Physics Letters 88.8 (2006): 083103.[2] Madden, John D., and Ian W. Hunter. "Three-dimensional microfabrication by localized electrochemical deposition." Journal of microelectromechanical systems 5.1 (1996): 24-32.[3] Lin, J. C., et al. "Localized electrochemical deposition of micrometer copper columns by pulse plating." Electrochimica Acta 55.6 (2010): 1888-1894.[4] Chen, C-C. "A New Process for Cyanide-Free Copper Plating."Electroplating and Pollution Control 23.4 (2003): 10-11.