A Concentrated AlCl3-Diglyme Electrolyte for Hard and Corrosion-Resistant Aluminum Electrodeposits

A concentrated aluminum chloride (AlCl₃)-diglyme (G2) electrolyte is used to prepare hard and corrosion-resistant aluminum (Al) electrodeposited films. The Al electrodeposits obtained from the electrolyte with an AlCl₃/G2 molar ratio x = 0.4 showed a void-free microstructure composed of spherical particles, in stark contrast to flake-like morphologies with micro-voids for lower x. Neutral complexes rarely exist in the x = 0.4 electrolyte, resulting in a relatively high conductivity despite the high concentration and high viscosity. Nanoindentation measurements for the Al deposits with >99% purity revealed that the nanohardness was 2.86 GPa, three times higher than that for Al materials produced through electrodeposition from a well-known ionic liquid bath or through severe plastic deformation. Additionally, the void-free Al deposits had a <100> preferential crystal orientation, which accounted for better resistance to free corrosion and pitting corrosion. Discussions about the compact microstructure and <100> crystal orientation of deposits obtained only from the x = 0.4 concentrated electrolyte are also presented.

Effect of ultrasound on silver electrodeposition: Crystalline structure modification

An attractive possibility for influencing microstructures of electrodeposited coatings, and therefore their properties such as hardness, brightness etc. resides in the use of ultrasound. This method is particularly competitive as it may result in a reduction of chemical use, or even in the complete suppression of chemicals. This paper deals with silver coatings depending strongly on current density, with two main categories identified by X-ray diffraction: one poorly structured and the other following the [110] orientation. It is interesting to note that, while changing from still to mechanically stirred conditions, the value of the current density threshold moves from 2.5mAcm^-2 to 5mAcm^-2. When ultrasound is used (575kHz or 20kHz), this coating microstructure modification threshold occurs at higher current density values when coatings are produced under sonication, while agitation is kept constant. In both cases, the shift is about 15mAcm^-2. It is noteworthy that silver electrodeposits elaborated under 20kHz ultrasound conditions appear to be less oriented than those obtained under high frequency conditions.

Effects of Cathode-Mandrel Surface Irregularities on the Mechanical Properties and Structure of Electroformed Iron Foil

Iron foil, of thicknesses between 003 and 0.15 mm has been electroformed at a current density of 30 A/dm2 and an electrolyte temperature of 100°C upon cathodes of surface roughness ranging from 0.04 to 4.4 μm Ra. The surface roughnesses of the face of the foil formed adjacent to the cathode, and of that electrode, are similar. The roughness of the reverse anodic face increases with increasing foil thickness, due to the increase in size of the crystal growth sites. The hardness of the cathodic face of the foil is unaffected by either cathode surface roughness or foil thickness. The hardness of the anodic face increases with both increasing cathode surface roughness and decreasing foil thickness, due to corresponding changes in grain size. A slight net decrease in tensile properties with increasing cathode surface roughness is attributed to the greater amount of stress concentration borne by the rougher foils. Young's modulus for the foil is not affected by cathode surface roughness.

The electroforming of foil upon a mandrel surface carrying an isolated V-shaped scratch, 0.14 mm deep and 0.28 mm wide, has also been studied by numerical and experimental methods. The cathodic surface of foil is found to adopt the shape of the scratch whilst its upper side becomes level. The effect upon the geometric configuration of the foil depends upon the relationship between current efficiency and current density for the electrolyte, and on the polarisation (overpotential) characteristics at the mandrel surface.