• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.227-234
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• 2017

Reference electrodes are generally implemented for the purpose of monitoring the cathodic protection potentials of buried or immersed metallic structures. In the market, many types of reference electrodes are available for this purpose, such as saturated calomel, silver/silver chloride and copper/copper sulfate. These electrodes contain a porous ceramic junction plate situated in the cylindrical body bottom to permit ionic flux between the internal electrolyte (of the reference electrode) and the external electrolyte. In this work, the copper/copper sulfate reference electrode was modified by replacing the porous ceramic junction plate for a metallic platinum wire. The main purpose of this modification was to avoid the ion copper transport from coming from the inner reference electrode solution into the surrounding electrolyte, and to mitigate the copper plating on the coupon surfaces. Lab tests were performed in order to compare the performance of the two mentioned reference electrodes. We verified that the experimental errors associated with the measurements conducted with developed reference electrode would be negligible, as the platinum surface area exposed to the surrounding electrolyte and/or to the reference electrolyte are maintained as small as possible.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.60-65
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• 2008

A study on the removal of silver(Ag) in copper electrolyte was carried out to produce high purity copper by using various method such as ion exchange resin, activated carbon adsorption, copper cementation with powder and wire, CuS precipitation. Parameters, such as reaction time, reaction temperature, addition amount etc. were investigated to determine the effective condition of silver removal. CuS precipitation and ion exchange using Lewatit TP214 was found to be effective. Especially, silver content in copper electrolyte was reduced from 10 ppm to less than 0.1 ppm by ion exchange with Lewatit TP214.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.143-150
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• 2011

Copper electroplating has been applied to various fields such as decorative plating and through-hole plating. Technical realization of high strength copper preplating for wear-resistant tools and molds in addition to these applications is the aim of this work. Brighters and levelers, such as MPSA, Gelatin, Thiourea, PEG and JGB, were added in copper sulfate electrolyte, and the effects of these organic additives on the hardness were evaluated. All additives in this work were effective in increasing the hardness of copper electrodeposits. Thiourea increased the hardness up to 350 VHN, and was the most effective accelarator in sulfate electrolyte. It was shown from the X-ray diffraction analysis that preferred orientation changed from (200) to (111) with increasing concentration of organic additives. Crystallite size decreased with increasing concentration of additive. Hardness was increased with decreasing crystallite size, and this result is consistent with Hall-Petch relationship, and it was apparent that the hardening of copper electrodeposits results from the grain refining effect.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.44-52
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• 2018

In this study, copper was recovered from copper containing sludge by selectively controlling electro-refining process conditions in copper sulfate electrolyte solution. Electro-refining process was performed by LSV (Linear Sweep Voltammetry) result according to copper sulfate electrolyte solution concentration, applied current density, additive type and concentration. SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) and PSA (Particle Size Analyzer) were used to analyze the shape and size of copper powder. In the 0.1 ~ 0.4 M copper sulfate electrolyte solution without organic additives, the copper powder size decreased as the applied current density became closer to the limiting current density and the copper powder size tended to decrease in 0.2 ~ 0.3 M copper sulfate electrolyte solution. In addition, when the shape and size of the copper powder were analyzed by adding various types and concentrations of organic additives to the previous experimental, fine spherical copper powder having the smallest size (nm) was obtained under the condition of cellulose type additive 2,000 ppm.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.48 no.10
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• pp.951-956
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• 2010

This study examined the effect of copper and sulfuric acid concentrations on the surface morphology and physical properties of copper plated on a polyimide (PI) film. Electrochemical experiments with SEM and a four-point probe were performed to characterize the morphology and mechanical characteristics of copper electrodeposited in the composition of an electrolyte. The resistivity and peel strength were controlled using a range of electrolyte compositions. A lower resistivity and high flexibility were obtained when an electrolyte with 20 g/l of copper was used. However, a uniform surface was obtained when a high current density that exceeded $20mA/cm^2$ was applied, which was maintained at copper concentrations exceeding 40 g/l. Increasing sulfuric acid to >150 g/l decreased the peel strength and flexibility. The lowest resistivity and fine adhesion were detected at a $Cu^{2+}:H_2SO_4$ ratio of 50:100 g/l.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.194-204
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• 2023

Models based on diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) have been extensively used to explore the mechanisms of dendritic particle aggregation phenomena. The physical and chemical properties of systems in which DLA aggregates emerge are given in their fractal. In this paper, we present a comprehensive study of the growth of electrodeposited copper dendrites in flat plate electrochemical cells from a fractal perspective. The effects of growth time, applied voltage, copper ion concentration, and electrolyte acidity on the morphology and fractal dimension of deposited copper were examined. 'Phase diagram' set out the variety of electrodeposited copper fractal morphology analysed by metallographic microscopy. The box counting method confirms that the electrodeposited dendritic structures manifestly exhibit fractal character. It was found that with the increase of the voltage and copper ion concentration. The fractal copper size becomes larger and its morphology shifts towards a dendritic structure, with the fractal dimension fluctuating around 1.60-1.70. In addition, the morphology of the deposited copper is significantly affected by the acidity of the electrolyte. The increase in acidity from 0.01 to 1.00 mol/L intensifies the hydrogen precipitation side reactions and the overflow path of hydrogen bubbles affects the fractal growth of copper dendrites.

• 한국전기화학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.3-4
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• 2001

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.183-195
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• 2014

In order to study the mineralogical characteristics of a cathodic deposition-metallic powder, electrowinning experiments were carrier out on different electrolytic solutions at varying electric distances and electric currents. Under the same experimental conditions, Cu recovery was obtained much more effectively using a sodium chloride electrolyte than with a sulfuric acid electrolyte. In XRD analysis, copper ($Cu^0$), chalcanthite and cuprite were identified in the sulfuric acid electrolyte, while copper, nantokite and chalcanthite were observed in the sodium chloride electrolyte. In the sodium chloride electrolyte solution, increasing the electric distance and the electric current increased the Cu recovery rate, anode weight and anodic corrosion. The results of XRD analysis with non-pulverized cathodic deposition-metallic powder showed the average copper crystallite size was increased by increasing the electric current and decreasing the electric distance. It is suggested that the mass transfer was controlled with diffusion on the boundary between the electrode and the electrolytic solution due to the formation of dendrite copper.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 2017

In this study, the effect of electrolyte addition on the removal of organics and nutrients in electrochemical wastewater using a copper electrode, and the characteristics of the by-product of electrolysis were investigated. The removal of organics increased significantly as shorter reaction times upon the addition of chloride ion, and most of the electrolysis reaction was completed within 20 min. The reaction rate gradually increased in proportion to the $Cl^-$/COD ratio, whereas the highest removed mass of organic matter per mass of added electrolyte was observed at a $Cl^-$/COD ratio of 1. After the addition of electrolyte, significant removal of ammoniacal nitrogen was observed as a result of the enhanced generation of oxidizers such as hypochlorite. Excellent phosphorus removal was also achieved in a very short reaction time (within 2 min) by electro-coagulation. As the electrolysis progressed, the amount of by-product increased gradually, whereas a decrease of sludge volume index was observed after the addition of electrolyte. This indicated that the settling performance of the by-products was better, and their removal would be easily achieved.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.174-175
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• 2007

A programmable metallization cell (PMC) memory structure with copper-saturated GeTe solid electrolyte films doped by nitrogen was prepared on a TiW bottom electrode by a co-sputtering technique at room temperature. The $Ge_{45}Te_{55}$ solid electrolyte films deposited with various $N_2$/Ar flow ratios showed an increase of crystallization temperature and especially, the electrolyte films deposited at $N_2$/Ar ratios above 30% showed a crystallization temperature above $400^{\circ}C$, resulting in surviving in a back-end process in semiconductor memory devices. The device with a 200 nm thick $Cu_{1-x}(Ge_{45}Te_{55})_x$ electrolyte switches at 1 V from an "off " state resistance, $R_{off}$, close to $10^5$ to an "on" resistance state, Ron, more than 20rders of magnitude lower for this programming current.