ON THE ROLE OF BORIC-ACID IN THE WATTS BATH

Steady-state polarization curves and cyclic voltammograms were obtained on Pt microelectrodes in various solutions in Ni ions. The data indicated that at a Pt surface in a solution of NiSO//4, H//2 was deposited before the metallic Ni layer was laid down. In the Watts bath (containing NiSO//4, NiCl//2, and boric acid), the Ni layer was deposited before H//2 was evolved. The presence of boric acid lowers the overvoltage for Ni deposition.