Structural effects during the electrodeposition of silver-antimony alloys from ferrocyanide-thiocyanate electrolytes

Abstract

Self-organization phenomena are observed during electrodeposition of silver-antimony alloys. On increasing the current density, black regions (assumed to be an antimony-richer phase) appear on the electrode surface. Under certain conditions these black regions are shaped as spirals with different topological charges. The width of the black and white regions depends on the current density and the antimony content in the electrolyte. Quantitative characterization of the phase composition in the black regions is a problem which still remains to be solved.