Thermodynamic analysis of electrodeposition of copper from copper sulphate

Abstract

The free energy of activation of copper electrodeposition from copper sulphate solution is derived in terms of the dehydration energy of copper sulphate, hydration number of copper sulphate, solvated work function of the host metal and coordination number of the host metal on which the copper deposition is carried out. The free energy of activation for copper electrodeposition on 31 different host metals had been evaluated. The trend in the free energy of activation on different metals is studied and feasible electrodeposition of copper for appropriate applications had been suggested. The methodology is extended to obtain the exchange current densities for copper electrodeposition on different surfaces of Pt in acid medium and compared with the existing literature.