INTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS FORMED BY ELECTRODEPOSITION OF INDIUM ON BISMUTH

Indium electrodeposition on bismuth cathodes at constant current density and room temperature gives rise to the formation of three intermetallic compounds owing to indium diffusion and reaction inside the electrode. The mechanism of this process has been investigated by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectrometry and X-ray diffraction, analysing the morphology, composition and structure of the deposit surface and cross-section. The intermetallic compounds are In2Bi, In5Bi3 and InBi, the latter being the unique compound at the end of the analysed time-scale (1500 h), while In5Bi3 never emerged on the electrode surface.