The electrocrystallization of Cu-Cd alloys on silver and copper single crystals

Abstract

Studies were made of the electrocrystallization of Cu-Cd alloys on copper and silver single crystal cathodes with surfaces parallel to the (111), (110) and (100) planes. It was found that the surface morphology of alloys obtained on copper single crystals in the potential range -415 to -490 mV (versus SCE) depends on the cathode orientation. The surface morphology of alloys obtained on silver single crystals, and on copper single crystals at potentials above -490 mV, depends solely on deposition potential. In these alloys three types of crystallite orientations occur, i.e. epitaxial, twin and random. Twin orientation arises due to twinning on the {111} planes of crystallites with epitaxial orientation relative to the cathode surface. The volume of randomly oriented crystallite layers increases with increase in cadmium content of the alloy. The influence of cadmium on the formation of crystallites with random orientation is discussed.