Magnetic field effect on Zn-Co alloy electroplating

• Published in: Ionics 2017-12, Vol.23 (12), p.3565-3570
• Main Authors: Kermoune, H., Levesque, A., Douglad, J., Rehamnia, R., Chopart, J. P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Cobalt base alloys; Condensed Matter Physics; Crystal structure; Crystallography; Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; Electrochemistry; Electrodeposition; Electron microscopy; Electroplating; Energy Storage; Magnetic fields; Magnetism; Optical and Electronic Materials; Original Paper; Renewable and Green Energy; X-ray diffraction; Zinc base alloys
• ISSN: 0947-7047; 1862-0760
• DOI: 10.1007/s11581-017-2156-0

Zinc-cobalt (Zn-Co) alloys were electrodeposited under a magnetic field parallel to the electrode from a sulfate bath. These alloys were investigated using chronopotentiometric measurement as one of the well-known galvanostatic techniques. The magnetic field was found to shift the potential of electrodeposition of alloys toward anodic values. The Zn-Co electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies clearly showed the effects of the magnetic field on the electrodeposition process. The crystallographic structures of the deposits examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed the existence of CoZn 13 phase, pure zinc phase, and η phase. The presence and absence of each of the phases were found to be greatly dependent on both the electrolyte composition and on the magnetic field amplitude and the latter of which also affected the lattice cell parameters. Indeed, an increase in the magnetic field amplitude decreases the size of the grains. These results were confirmed by morphological study using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).