Electrolytic preparation of nanosized Cu/Ni–Cu multilayered coatings

Abstract

AbstractThe electrolytic deposition of nanosized Cu/Ni-Cu multilayer coatings on a paraffin-impregnated graphite substrate was performed from an electrolyte consisting of sulphate salts of the above metals and a complex-forming agent, sodium citrate. The multilayer Cu/Ni-Cu coatings were prepared using the potentiostatic method, in which the potential was alternately pulsed between the reduction potentials of the components. Suitable deposition potentials were selected from the polarisation curves. The presence of the thin films was confirmed by atomic absorption spectroscopy (after dissolution) and by optical microscopy. The resulting images show a layered structure of Cu/Ni-Cu coatings formed by Cu, Ni and/or Ni-Cu layers.