Formation of Multiple Twinned Structural Units in Electrodeposited Nickel after Annealing

Abstract

Electrodeposition is an advanced synthesis technique which involves the creation of a coating or free-standing material through an electrolytic process. Organic additives such as saccharin have been frequently used in electroplating operations to moderate deposit growth rates and to control film quality. In the present study, plating of Nickel without additives has resulted in a sub-microcrystalline microstructure and a <110>-fibre texture in growth direction. Structural units in form of groups of grains possessing a common <110>-zone axis in growth direction and low-Σ relationships between them have been found in the microstructure by use of EBSD. Upon annealing, grain growth sets in. However, the structural units and the texture are preserved up to 550°C. This means that the structural units stabilize the microstructure; there is no orientation change when grain growth occurs (e.g. by twinning). The low-Σ boundaries of the structural units are described in detail and texture development upon annealing is discussed in connection with results from previous studies on Ni and Ni-alloys of different initial texture.