Nucleation and growth of zinc on aluminum from acidic sulfate solution with [BMIM]HSO4 as additive

Abstract

The nucleation and first stages of the growth of zinc on aluminum from acidic sulfate solution in the absence and presence of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate-[BMIM]HSO4 as additive were investigated using cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometric current–time transients, and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The dimensionless chronoamperometric current–time transients for the zinc electrodeposition on aluminum electrode from the solution free of [BMIM]HSO4 showed the zinc deposition can be interpreted by a model involving instantaneous nucleation with hemispherical diffusion controlled growth of nuclei. The addition of [BMIM]HSO4 induced a blocking effect on the zinc electrocrystallization process through its cathodic adsorption on the electrode surface. This effect led to increase the number density of active sites, decrease the nucleation and growth rate of these nuclei, and produce more leveled and fine-grained cathodic deposits without affecting the instantaneous nucleation mechanism. Surface morphology analysis revealed the crystal structure of the zinc deposits formed did not change by the adsorption of [BMIM]HSO4 at the first stages of deposition.