Particle-electrode surface interaction during nickel electrodeposition from suspensions containing SiC and SiO2 particles

Electrochemistry at Krakowian research institutions

The electrochemistry research team activity from Poland is marked by significant increase in the last 20 years. The joining of European Community in 2004 gives an impulse for the development of Polish science. The development of electrochemistry has been stimulated by cooperation with industry and the establishment of technology transfer centers, technology parks, business incubators, etc. and the mostly by simplified international collaborations. Five research institutions from Krakow reports work in the field of electrochemistry. The achievements of all teams are briefly described.

Fabrication of Polycrystalline Cubic Boron Nitride/Metal Composite Particles by Surface Metallization Followed by Electroless Deposition Technique

Polycrystalline cBN/copper composite abrasive particles were prepared by an electroless powder coating process. Ti metallization and tin/silver metallization techniques were used to improve the coating process by depositing an autocatalytic metallic layer on the surface of the cBN particles. Metallized, as well as un-metallized, cBN particles were further coated by copper using electroless deposition. Electroless copper coating of un-metallized and metallized cBN particles by 90 wt.% of copper were achieved. The surface morphology, the composition and the crystalline phase identifications of the metallized cBN particles, as well as the 10 wt.% cBN /copper composite powders, were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy, an energy-dispersive spectrometer and an X-ray diffractometer. The results show that the surface of the Ti metalized and tin/Ag-metallized cBN particles were covered by the nanosized Ti or Ag layer, respectively, which enhanced the deposition of the copper during the electroless deposition bath. The results also showed that the deposited layer on the metallized cBN particles was composed mainly of metallic copper. The produced 10 wt.% cBN/copper composite particles also underwent thermo-gravimetric analysis to investigate its stability at high temperature. It was revealed that the Ti-metallized cBN/copper composite powder has higher stability at 800 °C under the environmental conditions than the tin/silver-metallized and the un-metallized cBN/copper composite particles, respectively.