Electrolytic codeposition of silica particles with aluminum from AlCl3-dimethylsulfone electrolytes

The electrolytic codeposition of silica particles with aluminum was investigated from an AlCl3-dimethylsulfone electrolyte containing monodisperse silica particles with a diam of 0.2 mum The electrodeposition was done at 110 degreesC and at current densities between 6 and 13 A/dm(2). Dense aluminum coatings with a thickness of 20 mum were obtained at a plating rate of 77 mum/h. The coatings contained a homogeneous dispersion of individual silica particles. The amount of codeposited silica particles was found to depend on the concentration of silica particles suspended in the electrolyte and the current density. (C) 2001 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.