ELECTRODEPOSITION OF METALS AND ALLOYS - NEW RESULTS AND PERSPECTIVES

After a summary of the theory, Winand's diagram is introduced. This diagram gives the fields of stability of Fischer's main types of electrodeposits as a function of two main parameters: the ratio of the current density to the diffusion limiting current density (mass transfer) and the inhibition. The diagram has been used at Universite Libre de Bruxelles as the basis for the chloride electrodeposition of metals, for high current density plating and electrorefining, and for initiating research concerning organic additives. Important industrial applications have been derived, especially in continuous steel sheet electroplating. The diagram has also been useful for alloys electrodeposition. New research areas include nucleation and initial growth, substrate influenced transition zone, thin film electroplating and electroforming, accurate hydrodynamic characterization of electrolytic cells, organic additives and secondary inhibition studies under plant simulation conditions, metallographic image analysis, micro- and nanoalloys studies, time dependent structures investigation, and deposit to substrate adhesion.