Cyclic voltammetry metal deposition

Such effects are observed inter alia when a metal is electrochemically deposited on a foreign substrate (e.g. Pb on graphite), a process which requires an additional nucleation overpotential. Thus, in cyclic voltammetry metal is deposited during the reverse scan on an identical metallic surface at thermodynamically favourable potentials, i.e. at positive values relative to the nucleation overpotential. This generates the typical trace-crossing in the current-voltage curve. Hence, Pletcher et al. also view the trace-crossing as proof of the start of the nucleation process of the polymer film, especially as it appears only in experiments with freshly polished electrodes. But this is about as far as we can go with cyclic voltammetry alone. It must be complemented by other techniques the potential step methods and optical spectroscopy have proved suitable. 

To overcome some of the problems associated with aqueous media, non-aqueous systems with cadmium salt and elemental sulfur dissolved in solvents such as DMSO, DMF, and ethylene glycol have been used, following the method of Baranski and Fawcett [48-50], The study of CdS electrodeposition on Hg and Pt electrodes in DMSO solutions using cyclic voltammetry (at stationary electrodes) and pulse polarography (at dropping Hg electrodes) provided evidence that during deposition sulfur is chemisorbed at these electrodes and that formation of at least a monolayer of metal sulfide is probable. Formation of the initial layer of CdS involved reaction of Cd(II) ions with the chemisorbed sulfur or with a pre-existing layer of metal sulfide. 

The initial stages, notably the formation of a monolayer on a foreign substrate at underpotentials, were mainly studied by classical electrochemical techniques, such as cyclic voltammetry [8, 9], potential-step experiments or impedance spectroscopy [10], and by optical spectroscopies, e.g., by differential reflectance [11-13] or electroreflectance [14] spectroscopy, in an attempt to evaluate the optical and electronic properties of thin metal overlayers as function of their thickness. Competently written reviews on the classic approach to metal deposition, which laid the basis of our present understanding and which still is indispensable for a thorough investigation of plating processes, are found in the literature [15-17]. 

Thin films of a composite nickel-iron (9 1 Ni/Fe ratio) and iron-free oxyhydroxides were deposited from metal nitrate solutions onto Ni foils by electroprecipitation at constant current density. A comparison of the cyclic voltammetry of such films in 1M KOH at room temperature (see Fig. 6) shows that the incorporation of iron in the lattice shifts the potentials associated formally with the Ni00H/Ni(0H)2 redox processes towards negative potentials, and decreases considerably the onset potential for oxygen evolution. The oxidation peak, as shown in the voltammo-gram, is much larger than the reduction counterpart, providing evidence that within the time scale of the cyclic voltammetry, a fraction of the nickel sites remains in the oxidized state at potentials more negative than the reduction peak. 

In this equation, aua represents the product of the coefficient of electron transfer (a) by the number of electrons (na) involved in the rate-determining step, n the total number of electrons involved in the electrochemical reaction, k the heterogeneous electrochemical rate constant at the zero potential, D the coefficient of diffusion of the electroactive species, and c the concentration of the same in the bulk of the solution. The initial potential is E/ and G represents a numerical constant. This equation predicts a linear variation of the logarithm of the current. In/, on the applied potential, E, which can easily be compared with experimental current-potential curves in linear potential scan and cyclic voltammetries. This type of dependence between current and potential does not apply to electron transfer processes with coupled chemical reactions [186]. In several cases, however, linear In/ vs. E plots can be approached in the rising portion of voltammetric curves for the solid-state electron transfer processes involving species immobilized on the electrode surface [131, 187-191], reductive/oxidative dissolution of metallic deposits [79], and reductive/oxidative dissolution of insulating compounds [147,148]. Thus, linear potential scan voltammograms for surface-confined electroactive species verify [79]... 

Recently a series of dialkylpyrrolidinium (Pyr+) cations have been studied in our laboratory 7-9). These cations are reduced at relatively positive potentials and could be investigated electrochemically as low concentration reactants in the presence of (C4H9)4N+ electrolytes. Using cyclic voltammetry, polarography and coulometry, it was shown that Pyr+ react by a reversible le transfer. The products are insoluble solids which deposit on the cathode and incorporate Pyr+ and mercury from the cathode. Both the cation and the metal can be regenerated by oxidation. Quantitative analysis of current-time transients, from potential step experiments, showed that the kinetics of the process involve nucleation and growth and resemble metal deposition. 

Figure 6 Effect of electrode metal on cyclic voltammetry of 0.2 M LiAsF6/DME electrolyte. Sweep rate = 20 mV/s. Dashed lines show lithium bulk deposition and dissolution processes.

Redox-Mediated Metal Deposition. A reduced polyimide surface can function as a reducing substrate for subsequent deposition of metal ions from solution. For metal reduction to occur at a polymer surface, the electron transfer reaction must be kinetically uninhibited and thermodynamically favored, i.e., the reduction potential of the dissolved metal complex must be more positive than the oxidation potential of the reduced film. Redox-mediated metal deposition results in oxidation of the polymer film back to the original neutral state. The reduction and oxidation peak potential values for different metal complexes and metal deposits in nonaqueous solvents as measured by cyclic voltammetry are listed in Table III. 

Finally, US-enhanced mass transport has also been found to influence the rate of metal deposition (e.g. that of cobalt on glassy carbon electrodes by cyclic and stripping voltammetry, and chronoamperometry [157]). 

Electrodeposition on semiconductor surfaces is useful from the point of view of application in metal/semiconductor -Schottky and ohmic contacts. Cyclic voltammetry, current transient methods, STM, and AFM techniques have been used to study Pb electrodeposition on z/-Si(lll) surface [311, 313-315]. Lead deposition on the H-terminated Si(lll) is... 

The various tunable properties of zeolites have inspired a great variety of concepts in electrochemistry with zeolite-modified electrodes. For example, silver ions inside the zeolite pore system arc not electrochemically active in amperometric detection. Flowever, indirect analyte detection can occur when the analyte causes the removal of silver ions into the solution where they are electrochemically detected.[94] This indirect approach was extended to different copper-exchanged zeolites and demonstrated for the detection of several non-elcctroactive ions including alkali metal, ammonium and calcium.[95] A zeolite-modified electrode (ZME) with high selectivity towards Pb over Cd in cyclic voltammetry was prepared via electrophoretic deposition of zeolite Y, coated with Nafion.[96]... 

By comparing cyclic voltammetry with in-situ STM recorded simultaneously it seems that the cathodic current peak of bulk metal electrodeposition reflects the termination of metal deposition rather than a potential of maximum metal growth [11]. 

The effect of upd is most conveniently demonstrated in cyclic voltammetry. The very fact that the first monolayer is formed at potentials much more positive than that for bulk deposition simply means that the metal adatom is bound more strongly to the foreign metal substrate than to a substrate of its own kind. 

The UPD is often demonstrated in cyclic voltammetry. The formation (dissolution) of the first monolayer is seen by pronounced current peaks at E > E-rev, the bulk deposition occurs at E < E-rev For many polycrystalline surfaces, it has been shown that the differences in peak potentials for the oxidative dissolution of metal monolayers and bulk correlate linearly with the difference in work function, A, of substrate and... 

Although one of the more complex electrochemical techniques [1], cyclic voltammetry is very frequently used because it offers a wealth of experimental information and insights into both the kinetic and thermodynamic details of many chemical systems [2], Excellent review articles [3] and textbooks partially [4] or entirely [2, 5] dedicated to the fundamental aspects and apphcations of cyclic voltammetry have appeared. Because of significant advances in the theoretical understanding of the technique today, even complex chemical systems such as electrodes modified with film or particulate deposits may be studied quantitatively by cyclic voltammetry. In early electrochemical work, measurements were usually undertaken under equilibrium conditions (potentiometry) [6] where extremely accurate measurements of thermodynamic properties are possible. However, it was soon realised that the time dependence of signals can provide useful kinetic data [7]. Many early voltammet-ric studies were conducted on solid electrodes made from metals such as gold or platinum. However, the complexity of the chemical processes at the interface between solid metals and aqueous electrolytes inhibited the rapid development of novel transient methods. 

The difference Em - E is related to the binding energy of the first monolayer. In cyclic voltammetry this is the difference between the potentials of the most positive peak and the peak corresponding to the three-dimensional metal phase. The latter difference is linearly correlated with the difference of work functions of the deposited metal and the electrode material [11] ... 

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