Cathodic Current Efficiency Research Articles

Efficient Recovery of Silver from Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells by Controlling the Viscosity of Electrolyte Solvent in an Electrochemical Process

We present electrowinning of silver (Ag) from crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells using a solution of methanesulfonic acid (MSA) as the electrolyte. Ag dissolved effectively in MSA because of its high solubility in MSA; however, the electrochemical recovery of Ag from MSA solutions was found to be inefficient because of the low mobility of Ag ions in MSA, owing to its high viscosity. Therefore, we decreased the viscosity of MSA by adding deionized (DI) water, as a possible method for enhancing the mobility of Ag ions. The concentrations of added DI water were 0, 1.1, 5.0, 9.3, and 20.8 M, respectively. Further, we performed cyclic voltammetry for each solution to calculate the diffusion coefficient using the Randles–Sevcik equation, and analyzed the viscosity of MSA solutions depending on the concentration of added water using a rheometer. The morphologies of the electrochemically recovered Ag particles changed with variations in the amount of the added water, from branch-like structures to dendritic structures with a decreasing size. Moreover, the cathodic current efficiency increased considerably with increasing concentration of the added DI water. Finally, we recovered Ag with >99.9% (3N) purity from c-Si solar cells by electrowinning, as determined by glow discharge mass spectrometry.

Electrochemical Processes at the Bi0–Bi3+ Interface in Chloride Melts

For rational design of technological schemes for production of high-grade bismuth and to improve electrochemical bismuth refining, knowledge of physicochemical properties of low-valent bismuth compounds and the mechanisms underlying processes occurring at the Bi0–Bi3+ interface in molten salts is necessary. For this purpose, the kinetics and mechanism of formation of low-valent bismuth compounds in the Bi0–BiCl3–ZnCl2–NH4Cl system by UV–Vis spectroscopy was studied. Chemical interactions between metallic bismuth and Bi3+ species in the melt give rise to Bi+ intermediates and [Bi5]3+ clusters, which are registered by their characteristic absorption bands at approximately 18000 and 14000 cm–1. The kinetic parameters for the Bi+ and [Bi5]3+ formations are estimated from the dependence of intensities of these absorption bands on the time of contact between metallic bismuth and Bi3+ species in the melt. The rate constants characterizing the Bi+ and [Bi5]3+ formations are estimated to be 3.33 × 10–3 and 2.31 × 10–3 s–1, respectively. The mechanism of anodic bismuth dissolution is proposed, and the cathodic and anodic current efficiencies for bismuth are determined.

Electrodeposition of Indium from a Phosphonium-Based Ionic Liquid

Electrochemical deposition of indium metal from aqueous electrolytes is challenging as it occurs simultaneously with hydrogen evolution. The evolution of hydrogen can compromise cathodic current efficiency and can cause porosity of the deposited metal, but it can be avoided by using ionic liquid electrolytes. The high thermal stability of ionic liquids allows for high-temperature electrodeposition on a liquid cathode, offering several advantages over a solid electrode, such as easier separation of electrolysis products and the possibility to design a continuous electrowinning process. In this paper, the electrochemical behavior of indium in the ionic liquid trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium chloride (Cyphos IL 101) was studied at 120 °C and 180 °C. Indium metal was electrodeposited on platinum and molybdenum substrates and on a liquid indium cathode at 180 °C. Impurities present in commercial Cyphos IL 101 interfered with the measurement of the electrochemical window, so that it had to be carefully purified. The electrochemistry of indium in Cyphos IL 101 was studied by cyclic voltammetry, QMCB, rotating disk and rotating ring disk voltammetry. InCl3 concentration between 10 and 400 mM in Cyphos IL 101 were used in this study. Therefore, the major indium(III) species in solution corresponds to the [InCl6]3– complex. Using the Levich equation, a diffusion coefficient of (7.5 ± 0.1) 10–12 m2 s–1 at 120 °C was calculated for [InCl6]3–. It was found that indium(III) is the most stable oxidation state in the ionic liquid. This ion is reduced via a two-step process, going from indium(III) to indium(I) and subsequently to indium(0). The disproportionation of indium(I) to indium(III) and indium(0) was clearly illustrated. During cyclic voltammograms, the anodic and cathodic peak potentials was found to depend on the scan rate. As the scan rate increases, the separation between the anodic and cathodic peaks becomes greater, indicating that the deposition of indium is irreversible or quasi-reversible. The indium electrodeposits were characterized by SEM-EDS. When depositing indium on molybdenum substrates, the deposition of spherical indium droplets was observed, even at temperatures substantially below the melting point of indium (see figure). The probable mechanism behind this deposition morphology will be explained. Figure 1

Vanadium Electrorefining in NaCl–KCl–VCl2 Melts

Molten salt mixtures can be effectively employed for electrowining and electrorefining of relatively chemically active rare refractory metals having negative reduction potential. One of such metals is vanadium. However quality of the metal produced (impurities content and size of crystals in the deposit) and current efficiency in a standard vanadium electrorefining process does not fully correspond to the requirements. The current work was carried out aiming to determine the optimal conditions of operating industrial vanadium electrolysis baths. The experiments on vanadium electrorefining were carried out in a semi-industrial electrolyser made of stainless steel. Crude vanadium metal was loaded in an anodic basket made of molybdenum. The experiments were performed in dry purified argon atmosphere, and glassy-carbon or nickel crucibles were used to contain the melt. Vanadium-containing melts were prepared by dry chlorination of vanadium metal with subsequent absorption of chlorination products by fused salt mixtures. To stabilize vanadium(II) ions, the molten electrolyte was kept in contact with vanadium for 12–18 hours. Mean oxidation state of vanadium in the melt determined oxidimetrically was always close to two and didn’t depend on vanadium concentration. The method of mathematical planning of experiments was used to determine optimal conditions of electrolysis. Current efficiently was chosen as a response factor. Variable parameters and their intervals were chosen on the basis of the preliminary experiments and the results of kinetic studies. Current density, vanadium concentration and specific quantity of electricity were selected as variables. Temperature had no effect on the current efficiency and increasing temperature only resulted in rising vapor pressure of the melt. Therefore, temperature was not included into variable parameters. Anodic current density was kept essentially constant between 0.1 and 0.15 A/cm2. Such anodic current density allowed maintaining average oxidation state of vanadium ions close to two in the course of the experiments. The 23 full factor experiment was performed and the regression equation was obtained using the experimental results. All variable parameters were significant and the equation obtained was adequate. The influence of the quadratic term was insignificant. The response function was then obtained in the form of a dependence of the cathodic current efficiency on current density, vanadium concentration and specific quantity of electricity passed. The most suitable parameters of vanadium electrorefining were determined using this equation and the experiment under the optimal conditions was carried out, Figure. The total amount of impurities in the refined product was below 0.09 wt. % and the current efficiency equaled to 0.96 g/A∙h. Figure. High-purity electrolytic vanadium Figure 1

Hydrogen evolution behavior of aluminum cathode in comparison with stainless steel for electrowinning of manganese in sulfate solution

The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) on aluminum and stainless steel cathodes in ammonium sulfate solution was investigated by linear sweep voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The catalytic effects of NH4+ on the HER were markedly inhibited on aluminum, and the rate-determining step of the reaction was the formation and adsorption of hydrogen intermediates. The apparent activation energy of the HER on the aluminum and stainless steel cathodes were 78.2 and 52.8 kJ/mol, respectively. Hydrogen evolution in ammonium sulfate solution was weakened by addition of manganese (II) ions which could be adsorbed on the cathode surface and impede the HER. While nucleation of manganese on aluminum was hardly affected by the HER, the nuclei density and size of grains on stainless steel decreased as the HER progressed. The use of aluminum instead of stainless steel for manganese electrodeposition could improve the cathodic current efficiency from 83.36% to 85.78% after galvanostatic electrolysis for 2 h. X-ray diffraction studies revealed that alpha‑manganese is obtained on aluminum and stainless steel under the operating conditions used in the industrial process for manganese electrolysis.

Understanding Selectivity in the Chlorate Process: A Step towards Efficient Hydrogen Production

AbstractChlorate production is a highly energy demanding industrial process, where chlorate formation is accompanied with hydrogen formation on the cathode. To ensure a high cathodic current efficiency, sodium dichromate is added to the chlorate electrolyte to avoid reduction of hypochlorite formed as a reaction intermediate in the process. However, chromate is highly toxic to humans and environment, and therefore a replacement is desired. A model system with ex situ formed chromium oxide/hydroxide films were used to study hypochlorite reduction and hydrogen evolution. The experimental results demonstrate that the hypochlorite reduction is fully blocked while hydrogen evolution readily occurs. However, in the presence of hypochlorite the hydrogen evolution reaction is inhibited. By combining experimental findings with density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the mechanism of hypochlorite reduction was revealed and the reason for inhibition by the deposited chromium(III) film was demonstrated. Based on these results possible replacements for chromate are suggested.

6.5 wt% Si high silicon steel sheets prepared by composite electrodeposition in magnetic field

A new preparation method of near-net-shape 6.5 wt% Si high silicon steel sheets was proposed by combining composite electrodeposition (CED) and diffusion annealing under magnetic field. The obtained sheets were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry, analytical balance and a silicon steel material measurement system. The results show that the surface morphology, the elemental distribution, the cathode current efficiency and the silicon content of coatings were obviously influenced by the micro and macro magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) flows under magnetic field. With the effect of magnetic field, the silicon particles content of coatings showed an increasing trend and the diffusion process showed that an approximately uniform 6.5 wt% silicon steel sheet has been successfully obtained. The magnetism measurement showed that the high silicon steel sheet has the lower iron loss, and the iron loss further decreased under magnetic field. The new method proposed in this article, which is more environmentally friendly and low energy consumption, is feasible to prepare high silicon steel sheets.

Influence of γ-phase on corrosion resistance of Zn–Ni alloy electrodeposition from acetate electrolytic bath

The electrodeposition of Zn–Ni alloy containing 10% to 15% nickel was deposited from acetate electrolytic bath. The effect of current density, pH, temperature, cathodic current efficiency on the deposition of Zn–Ni alloy and the throwing power ability of the solution was investigated. The composition of the deposits and the morphology were strongly influenced by the temperature and applied current density. Corrosion resistance of a Zn–Ni alloy deposit was increases with the increase of current density. Zn–Ni alloy deposits shows higher corrosion resistance at optimum current density of 3.0 A dm−2. X-Ray diffraction measurement confirms the presence of γ –phase Zn–Ni alloy deposition. The XRD reflection of Zn–Ni (831) was found to be increased with increase in current density. SEM studies reveal that the nanovial structure of Zn–Ni alloy deposited at 3.0 A dm−2 gives high protection against corrosion.

Experimental Study for the Influence of Operating Parameters on Copper Electrorefining Process

Copper electrodeposition by electrorefining process in acidic sulfate media contains 40 g/l of cupric ions and 160 g/l of sulfuric acid was achieved to study the influence of the operating parameters on cathode purity, surface morphology, deposition rate, current efficiency and power consumption. These operating parameters and there ranges are: current density 200, 300 and 400 A/m2, electrolyte temperature 35, 50 and 65 oC, electrodes spacing 15, 30 and 45 mm and electrolyte residence time 6, 4 and 2 h were utilized. XRF, SEM and EDX analyses were attained to clarify the properties of the produced cathode.

Effect of sodium alkyl sulfates on electrodeposition of manganese metal from sulfate solutions in the presence of sodium metabisulphite

Electrodeposition of manganese in the presence of selenium compounds results in high current yield. However, selenium compounds are environmentally toxic and hence their use in manganese electrodeposition should be controlled. The main objective of the present study was to avoid the use of selenium compounds during electrodeposition of manganese without compromising with quality and current yield. Thus in the present study electrolytic manganese metal (EMM) has been produced from aqueous manganese(II) sulfate solutions in the presence of sodium alkyl sulfates (SAS) as organic additives. The alkyl sulfates used in the present study are sodium octyl sulfate (SOS), sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS). It was found that addition of SOS at a concentration of 20 mg·L−1 was most effective in increasing the cathodic current efficiency from 59% to 67% and in presence of 10 mg·L−1 SLS 63.5% cathodic efficiency was obtained. Further in presence of these additives bright and smooth manganese deposits were resulted. It was also observed that increase in alkyl chain length in the additives used in this work affected the deposit morphology and current yield adversely, however in all the cases α–manganese with (330, 411) as the most preferred plane of orientations were produced. Polarization of cathode takes place in presence of all the organic anionic additives used in the current study and the degree of polarization increases with increase in concentration and chain length of additives.

Experimental Investigation of the Electro Co-deposition of (Zinc-Nickel) Alloy

An experimental investigation has been carried out for zinc-nickel (Zn-Ni) electro-deposition using the constant applied current technique. Weight difference approach method was used to determine the cathode current efficiency and deposit thickness. Also, the influence effect of current density on the deposition process, solderability, and porosity of the plating layer in microelectronic applications were examined. The bath temperature effect on nickel composition and the form of the contract was studied using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Moreover, elemental nature of the deposition was analyzed by Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX). 
 It has been found that the best bath temperature was 40˚C, specifically at a concentration of 73 g/L of NiCl2.6H2O, has a milestone influence on the nickel composition and structure of the deposits. The potential is a major factor influencing the deposition coating alloy which is adjusted by the operations of the cathodic polarization; rather than the standard potential of the two metals as determined by the e.m.f. series. The anomalous deposition was obtained at a current density lower than 0.8 A/dm2, while normal deposition occurred at current densities less than 1.2 A/dm2.
 Corrosion behavior was exhibited by the bath and for performance was carried out, and it shows that the best corrosion performance was for nickel composition of 10-12.6 wt%.

Influence of Glycerol on Copper Electrodeposition from Pyrophosphate Bath: Nucleation Mechanism and Performance Characterization

In order to elevate the allowable current density of pyrophosphate bath, glycerol was employed as additive for copper electrodeposition, and its influences on cathodic current efficiency, coordination environment, electrodeposition behavior and coating properties of conventional pyrophosphate bath were systematically investigated. It was demonstrated that glycerol did not change the coating's nucleation mechanism and purity, and had almost no effect on the bath's current efficiency, but effectively improved the allowable current density, increased the cathodic over-potential, and suppressed the hydrogen evolution in copper electrodeposition processes by absorption onto electrode surface. Specially, the coating electrodeposited from this optimized bath also had lower porosity and smaller micro-strain than that of produced from conventional pyrophosphate bath. Detailed analyses were conducted to clarify the mechanism responsible for the improvements.

Production of AlCrNbTaTi High Entropy Alloy via Electro-Deoxidation of Metal Oxides

High entropy alloys (HEAs) have attracted increasing attention because of their outstanding properties for various applications. During the preparation of HEAs, however, high-purity metals are usually used as raw material, which limits the large-scale application of HEAs. In this work, a simple electrochemical method is demonstrated to achieve homogeneous AlCrNbTaTi HEAs directly from metal oxide mixtures, and meanwhile the cathodic reduction mechanism is discussed. The patterns of both X-ray diffraction and selected area electron diffraction show that the as-prepared AlCrNbTaTi HEAs present body centered cubic structure. Upon electrolysis for 12 h, the oxygen content of the product is ∼0.6 wt% and the cathodic current efficiency is ∼46.7%. The results also suggest that the cathodic reduction process obeys a three-phase interline propagation mechanism, with the pellet surface initially metallized.

Electrodeposition and Characterization of Mn-Cu-Zn Alloys for Corrosion Protection Coating

Mn-Cu-Zn alloys were electrodeposited from sulphate bath, containing citrate or EDTA and their mixtures as complexing ligands. The influence of bath composition and deposition parameters on alloys composition, cathodic current efficiency and structural and electrochemical properties were studied. At a higher current density (≥ 37.5 A dm-2) a uniform surface deposit of Mn-Cu-Zn was obtained. Optimal pH of electrolyte (0.3 mol/dm3Mn2+ + 0.6 mol/dm3 (NH4)2SO4 +0.1 mol/dm3Zn2++0.005 mol/dm3 Cu2++ 0.05mol/dm3Na3Cit + 0.15mol/dm3 EDTA; t=300C; τ=20 min) for silvery, nonporous coating of Mn-Cu-Zn alloy was within 6.5-7.5; coating composition: 71-83% Mn, 6-7.8% Cu, 11.5-20% Zn, current efficiency up to 40%. XRD patterns revealed BCT (body centred tetragonal) γ-Mn solid phase solution (lattice constants a=2.68 Å; c=3.59 Å). Corrosion measurements of deposited alloys were performed in aerated 3.5% NaCl solution. The corrosion current density (icorr) of the electrodeposited alloys on carbon steel was 10 times lower than corrosion rate of pure zinc and manganese coatings. Triple alloy coatings corrosion potential (Ecorr = -1140 mV vs. Ag/AgCl) preserved negative potential value longer (more than three months) compared to carbon steel substrate (Ecorr = -670 mV vs. Ag/AgCl). Tafel polarization curves taken on Mn-Cu-Zn alloy coating in aerated 3.5% NaCl solution did not show a typical passivation behaviour which can be explained by formation oflow solubility of adherent corrosion products on the alloy surface. Corrosion test of Mn-Cu-Zn electrocoating in chlorine environment shows that it is the best cathodic protective coating for a steel product.

Electrochemical Dissolution of Tungsten Carbide in NaCl-KCl-Na2WO4 Molten Salt

Tungsten carbide was utilized as anode to extract tungsten in a NaCl-KCl-Na2WO4 molten salt, and the electrochemical dissolution was investigated. Although the molten salt electrochemical method is a short process method of tungsten extraction from tungsten carbide in one step, the dissolution efficiency and current efficiency are quite low. In order to improve the dissolution rate and current efficiency, the sodium tungstate was added as the active substance. The dissolution rate, the anode current efficiency, and the cathode current efficiency were calculated with different contents of sodium tungstate addition. The anodes prior to and following the reaction, as well as the product, were analyzed through X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectrometry. The results demonstrated that the sodium tungstate could improve the dissolution rate and the current efficiency, due to the addition of sodium tungstate decreasing the charge transfer resistance in the electrolysis system. Due to the fact that the addition of sodium tungstate could remove the carbon during electrolysis, pure tungsten powders with 100 nm diameter were obtained when the content of sodium tungstate was 1.0 pct.

Current efficiency of individual electrodes in the sodium chlorate process: a pilot plant study

Current efficiency in the sodium chlorate process is a key issue in the evaluation of the power consumption. A pilot cell unit for executing the sodium chlorate process was constructed to study the current efficiency of the anode and cathode separately. The effects of sodium dichromate and sodium sulphate concentrations and the electrolyte temperature on the anode and cathode current efficiencies were studied. Corrosion products formed on the mild steel cathodes after their removal from the cell were characterised using X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy. The results show that the cathodic current efficiency increases with increasing dichromate concentrations in the electrolyte until approximately 5 g dm−3 is reached. At this optimum concentration of dichromate, the presence of sulphate ions decreases the cathodic current efficiency. For moderate increases in temperature, the cathodic current efficiency increases, but oxygen evolution is promoted, and the power consumption also increases. Surface characterisation of the electrodes after their exposure to air shows two primary types of behaviour, depending on the process parameters. At low dichromate concentrations, amorphous corrosion layers are formed, while at higher concentrations, reduced forms of iron hydroxides, i.e., “green rust”, are identified. Although the electrodes were positioned at the open circuit potential for 40 min before their removal from the cell, chromium remains on the cathode surface. This result might explain the corrosion-inhibiting effect of the addition of chromate to the electrolyte. The results from this study can be used to optimise operating procedures in real plants, decrease the energy consumption and minimise the environmental impact of these processes.Graphical

Electrorefining of high purity manganese

The recovery of manganese metal from manganese chloride medium by purification–electrorefining was studied. The ammonium chloride – manganese chloride electrolyte was selected as the most promising for refining. The physical properties of the electrolyte were first studied as a function of solution composition and temperature. The electrorefining process introduces impurities into the anolyte from the dissolving anode. It is necessary to purify the anolyte before passing the solution to catholyte. The purification of the electrolyte by ion exchange was investigated. This paper reports the uptake of copper, nickel, cobalt, cadmium, zinc and manganese from manganese chloride solution onto the chelating resin Lewatit® MDS TP220 in batch and column experiments. The results demonstrate the ability for Lewatit® MDS TP220 to remove contaminants to an extent satisfying the quality criteria required for the utilization of the manganese chloride solution for electrorefining. In the electrorefining process, the synergistic effects of selected impurities on manganese deposit quality were first investigated. The parameters of current density, deposition time, and cathode usage frequency on the electrorefining process were investigated. With increasing the current density, the cathodic current efficiency first increased, reached a maximum value and then decreased. With increasing deposition time from 24h to 48h, the manganese current efficiency decreased and the deposit became more dendritic. The more times the cathode was used, the lower the current efficiency.

A review of organic additives in zinc electrodeposition process (performance and evaluation)

This review provides an overview of some important studies and investigations performed on various organic additives in zinc electrodeposition process. Organic additives are widely used due to their special functions during the electrodeposition of zinc or its alloys. These additives are found to affect the growth and crystal building of deposits through their adsorption on the cathode surface. Most of these additives act as hydrogen inhibitors and crystal growth modifiers, so an appropriate addition is necessary for the formation of fine-grained, smooth, and compact deposits. The presence of metallic impurities in the industrial electrolytes cannot be neglected as well. Most of these impurities decrease the induction period associated with the zinc electrodeposition process resulting in deterioration of the zinc deposit quality and decrease of the cathodic current efficiency. Accordingly, some additives are used to reduce the detrimental effect of these impurities and to improve the operating performance. Although, glues and gelatins are the most known additives in industry but searching for better ones with good stability, high efficiency, low cost, and being environmentally acceptable is still continuing. Therefore, this review considers previous studies conducted on various organic additives from different groups such as: quaternary ammonium salts, polymers, surfactants, natural compounds, organic acids, and ionic liquids salts. This study emphasizes as well the employed electrochemical techniques in evaluating the performance of organic additives during the electrolytic extraction of zinc.

Electrochemical investigation of electrolyte composition and electrolysis parameters during zinc electrowinning

The effect of different Mn2+ and Pb2+ concentrations added to the zinc sulfate acid electrolyte during zinc electrowinning process was investigated. Operating parameters such as zinc ion concentration, acid concentration, current density, electrolyte agitation, and temperature were investigated in the presence of Mn2+ and Pb2+. Galvanostatic polarization, potentiodynamic polarization, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies were performed to examine the cathodic behavior. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were employed to characterize the surface of the zinc deposit. The addition of lead ions to the zinc electrolyte led to an increase in the cathodic potential and current efficiencies of the zinc deposition. The addition of Mn2+ to the zinc electrolyte resulted in a decrease in the cathodic potential and current efficiency of zinc deposition. An increase in the current density from 45 to 60 mA cm−2 and in electrolyte agitation from 60 to 412 rpm resulted in an increase in the cathodic potential and decrease in current efficiencies. A temperature increase from 35 to 45 °C led to a decrease in the cathodic potential. After a short initial electrodeposition (2–4 h) using a Pb–0.7%Ag anode, the lead content in the zinc deposit was higher than that obtained with a Pt anode (0.15 mg L−1 Pb2+). A long deposition period of more than 72 h was also considered, and Pb content was almost the same in the zinc deposit for Pb2+ quantities (0.15 or 0.2 mg L−1).

Microstructure and crystallographic characteristics of nanocrystalline copper prepared from acetate solutions by electrodeposition technique

Methane sulphonic acid is an alternative electrolyte for conventional sulphuric acid for copper deposition. The electrodeposition of copper from eco-friendly acetate-based electrolytes consisting of copper acetate, sodium acetate and methane sulphonic acid was dealt. Thamine hydrochloride (THC), saccharin and 4-amino-3-hydroxynaphthalene 1-suphonic acid were used as additives in depositing electrolytes. The cathode current efficiency was calculated using the Faraday's law. Metal distrbution ratio of the solutions was determined using Haring–Blum cell. These additives impact the surface morphology of deposited copper films by downgrading, the grain size was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffiraction technique. XRD pattern acquired for electrodeposited copper film shows polycrystalline and face centered cubic structure (FCC). The crystal size of the copper film was calculated using the Debye–Scherrer's equation. The crystal size revealed that deposits produced from additive containing electrolytes exhibited the lowest grain size. Texture coefficient analysis studies revealed that all copper film deposits are polycrystalline and the crystals are preferentially oriented and parallel to the surface. A uniform and pin-hole free surface morphology and grain refining were brought about by the additives.