Effect of Carbon Modification of Particles on Their Incorporation Rate during Electrodeposition

Abstract

In this work, the influence of surface modification of titania and alumina particles with carbon on their codeposition behavior with nickel during electroplating is studied. The surface modification was done using a two step procedure where a carbon rich precursor was first deposited on the particle surface by hydrolysis which was subsequently pyrolyzed in an inert atmosphere. The effect of synthesis conditions and the properties of the carbon coating were studied using XPS and Raman spectroscopy and were linked to the contact angle measurements and electrical conductivity of the carbon coating. Modified and unmodified particles were codeposited with nickel from a sulphamate base electrolyte at several current densities. It was found that large contact angles between particles and electrolyte and high electrical conductivity of the carbon coating, led to the highest incorporation rates, as long as particle agglomeration was limited. Optimized carbon synthesis conditions doubled the Al2O3and tripled the TiO2content in the nickel coating compared to the unmodified particles. © 2011 The Electrochemical Society.