T.-F.M. Chang et al. / Electrochimica Acta 55 (2010) 6469–6475
6475
4.4. Current density
nucleus density and hydrogen desorption are believed to be the
reasons for film smoothening and grain refinement of nickel film
In nickel electroplating reaction, increasing current density
electroplated with Sc-CO -E. Ra of nickel film electroplated with
2
is usually effective in reducing grain size. However, the param-
eter affecting grain size is actually cathodic overpotential, and
high current density usually leads to high cathodic overpoten-
tial to give fine crystal grain [6,25]. On the other hand, cathodic
overpotential can also have negative relationship with current
density, where increase of current density causes decrease of
cathodic overpotential and leads to grain coarsening. Decrease of
cathodic overpotential occurs when reaction rate of side reaction
is increased at a much faster rate than the rate of the main reaction
Sc-CO -E is lower than Ra of the substrate when electroplated at
0.030 A/cm . Ra of the nickel film is found to decrease to a min-
imum point with increase of current density. Increase of Ra after
the minimum point is caused by promoted rate of hydrogen evolu-
2
2
tion reaction. Grain size of nickel film electroplated with Sc-CO -E
2
is finer than that of conventional case. Also, grain size is found to
have no direct relationship with Ra of nickel film electroplated.
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2
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1
microstructure texture of nickel film electroplated with Sc-CO -E
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[
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5
. Conclusions
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2
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2