Linear sweep voltammetry of the electrodeposition of copper from a methanesulfonic acid bath containing a perfluorinated cationic surfactant

The influence of a perfluorinated, cationic surfactant, DuPont™ ForaFac® 1098, on the electrodeposition of copper from a CH3SO3H bath was investigated. The background electrolyte contained 0.005 mol dm− 3 hydroquinone and 12.5vol.% (1.93 mol dm− 3) methanesulfonic acid, surfactant (0.002 to 0.12 vol.%) and copper ion (0.02 to 0.5 mol dm− 3) at 23 °C. The effects of electrode rotation speed, surfactant concentration and copper ion concentration were investigated. Linear sweep voltammetry was used to identify the charge transfer, mixed control and mass transport control regions. Changes in the limiting current density, copper nucleation potential and hydrogen evolution potential are discussed. The shift in copper nucleation potential was also investigated as a function of the surfactant and copper ion concentrations. Copper was electrodeposited, at a constant potential, onto a rotating cylinder electrode and the surface morphology was characterised using scanning electron microscopy.