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Electrodeposition behavior and characterization of copper–zinc alloy in deep eutectic solvent

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Abstract

Cu–Zn alloy films have been electrodeposited directly from their oxide precursors in choline chloride (ChCl)/urea-based deep eutectic solvent (DES). The reaction mechanism and the influence of the cathodic potential on the characteristics of the Cu–Zn alloy films are studied. Cyclic voltammetry and energy dispersive spectroscopy analyses reveal that the reduction of Cu(II) species relatively more preferentially occurs in comparison with the reduction of Zn(II) species, and Cu–Zn codeposition process can be controlled in the DES. Chronoamperometric investigation further confirms that the electrodeposition of Cu–Zn alloy on a Fe electrode follows the three-dimensional instantaneous nucleation-growth process. The micro/nanostructured Cu–Zn alloy films with different phase compositions can be facilely produced by controlling the cathodic potential. The obtained Cu–Zn alloy films typically exhibit enhanced corrosion resistances in 3 wt% NaCl aqueous solution. It is suggested that Cu–Zn alloy films can be sustainably electrodeposited from their abundant and inexpensive oxide precursors in DES.

Graphical Abstract

Micro/nanostructured Cu−Zn alloy films have been electrodeposited directly from CuO and ZnO precursors in deep eutectic solvent (DES), the electrochemical reaction mechanism and the nucleation-growth process of Cu−Zn alloy in the DES are investigated.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank China National Funds for Distinguished Young Scientists (No. 51225401), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51574164, 51304132 and 51664005), the National Basic Research Program of China (No. 2014CB643403), the Science and Technology Commissions of Shanghai Municipality (No. 14JC1491400) and the Young Teacher Training Program of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission for financial support. We also thank the Instrumental Analysis and Research Center of Shanghai University for materials characterization.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Advanced Special Steel & Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Ferrometallurgy & School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200072, People’s Republic of China

    Xueliang Xie, Xingli Zou, Xionggang Lu, Qian Xu, Changyuan Lu & Zhongfu Zhou

  2. Center for Electrochemistry, Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA

    Xingli Zou

  3. School of Materials and Metallurgy, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China

    Chaoyi Chen

  4. Institute of Mathematics and Physics, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3BZ, UK

    Zhongfu Zhou

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  1. Xueliang Xie
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Correspondence to Xingli Zou or Xionggang Lu.

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Xie, X., Zou, X., Lu, X. et al. Electrodeposition behavior and characterization of copper–zinc alloy in deep eutectic solvent. J Appl Electrochem 47, 679–689 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-017-1069-y

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