Electrodeposition of silver-nickel thin films with a galvanostatic method

Abstract

NiAg thin films were deposited by galvanostatic electrodeposition in an electrolyte containing NiSO4, AgNO3 and C 6H5Na3O7. The variation of composition and crystallography of electrodeposited NiAg thin films with current density and electrolyte concentration was investigated. At a low current density, electrodeposition of silver was dominant, which could be induced by a comparably low reduction potential. However, nickel electrodeposition became the dominant component at a higher current density because of the mass transfer limitation of Ag ions. When 50mA/cm2 was applied, the FCC (200) phase was observed, which implies significant enhancement of the nucleation rate by increasing the reduction potential at a high current density condition. ©2010 The Japan Institute of Metals.