Electrodeposition behavior of nickel and nickel–zinc alloys from the zinc chloride-1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride low temperature molten salt

The electrodeposition of nickel and nickel–zinc alloys was investigated at polycrystalline tungsten electrode in the zinc chloride-1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride molten salt. Although nickel(II) chloride dissolved easily into the pure chloride-rich 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ionic melt, metallic nickel could not be obtained by electrochemical reduction of this solution. The addition of zinc chloride to this solution shifted the reduction of nickel(II) to more positive potential making the electrodeposition of nickel possible. The electrodeposition of nickel, however, requires an overpotential driven nucleation process. Dense and compact nickel deposits with good adherence could be prepared by controlling the deposition potential. X-ray powder diffraction measurements indicated the presence of crystalline nickel deposits. Non-anomalous electrodeposition of nickel–zinc alloys was achieved through the underpotential deposition of zinc on the deposited nickel at a potential more negative than that of the deposition of nickel. X-ray powder diffraction and energy-dispersive spectrometry measurements of the electrodeposits indicated that the composition and the phase types of the nickel–zinc alloys are dependent on the deposition potential. For the Ni–Zn alloy deposits prepared by underpotential deposition of Zn on Ni, the Zn content in the Ni–Zn was always less than 50 atom%.