The effect of cadmium on zinc deposit structures obtained from high purity industrial acid sulphate electrolyte

Abstract

The effect of cadmium on cathodic zinc crystal growth was studied in high purity industrial electrolyte, with and without additives, in an attempt to establish a correlation between morphology, polarization and the extent of cadmium contamination. Cadmium additions to acid zinc sulphate electrolyte did not have a significant effect on the zinc deposit orientation but did substantially refine the deposit grain size. The refinement in deposit grain size is directly related to the level of cadmium in the zinc deposits. Cadmium, in combination with glue and optimum amounts of glue and antimony, also reduced the deposit grain size: the preferred deposit orientation remained (1 1 2) with a slight tendency to (1 0 1) at high glue concentrations. Cadmium in combination with antimony resulted in an increased depolarization of zinc deposition and a basal (0 0 2) deposit orientation. Lead additions to zinc electrolyte containing cadmium resulted in increased deposition overpotentials and intermediate to vertical deposit orientations.