Properties of silver–antimony alloys electrodeposited from ferrocyanide–thiocyanate electrolytes

Abstract

The influence of electrolysis conditions on the internal stress, microhardness, electrical contact resistance, wear resistance, roughness, and friction properties of silver–antimony alloys deposited from ferrocyanide–thiocyanate electrolytes is studied. The internal stress of the coatings depends strongly on their antimony content. Stress changes and transition from compressive to tensile stress at increased antimony content in the alloy are observed. By internal stress measurements, conclusions can be drawn concerning the homogeneity or heterogeneity of the coating, that is, whether the coating consists of one or two phases. The changes in microhardness are related to variations of the internal stress and to the phase transition. The codeposition of antimony leads to a reduction of the coating roughness. Increased Sb content of the alloy leads to an increase in the electrical contact resistance and to reduction of the contact forces and wear resistance of the coatings. At large deviations from equilibrium, an oscillating electrochemical reaction is observed leading to space-time structures on the electrode surface.