Hi All,
I am electrochemically depositing Cu using potentiostatic reduction of a Cu electrolyte (0.01M CuSO4, 0.5M (NH4)2SO4) on glassy carbon (Counter electrode is Pt wire). However on deposition at -0.3V (as identified using CV) the coating is non-uniform and disappears (due to oxidation or solvation). Does anyone have a solution?
You can use Cyclic Voltammatry (CV), with a wider potential window.
Try to measure the pH of your Cu electrolyte. Correlated PD (Pourbaix Diagrams[1,2], E(pH)) for Cu electrolytes, might give you a hint; such PD-based hint(s) drive our R&D on a safer map; a map showing which way you can plan/modify the pH (in your case, or how) to avoid and/or readjust related issues about your special WE conditions (E= -0.3V) for any "disappearance of electrodeposited Cu", e.g. reshaping Cu on GC.
1. metals-06-00023: [Fig. 4] in "The Eh-pH Diagram and Its Advances" http://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/6/1/23/pdf
2. Outotec: [Fig. 3] in "E - pH (Pourbaix) Diagrams Module" https://www.outotec.com/globalassets/products/digital-solutions/hsc/17-Eh---pH---Diagrams.pdf
Hi Pete. You could look into pulsing the deposition at that potential for a finer coating. Should help with nucleation, prevent ion depletion at the working electrode interface and perhaps give some time for crystalisation during the off pulse. Best of luck! Graeme
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