Abstract
Changes in the cathodic overpotential, differential capacity, and morphology of the silver deposits were examined as a function of the current modulation in the pulsed current electrolysis in silver cyanide and silver-ammonia complex baths. Finer grained silver deposits were obtained by increasing pulse current density and pulse on-time or by decreasing off-time. Under these conditions that give finer deposits, cathodic overpotential significantly increased independent of the plating bath, but the changes in the differential capacity and the orientation of the silver deposits differed in trends depending on the individual system. The factors affecting the surface morphology of the silver deposits in the pulsed current electrolysis were discussed in relation to the nucleation energy, concentration of the adions on the electrode surface, and adsorption of the species in the electrolyte.
