Study of the Effect of Polymeric Additives in Copper Electrolyte on the Quality of Cathode Metal

This study investigates the effect of organic additives on the electrocrystallization behavior and quality of cathode copper during electrodeposition from a copper sulfate electrolyte. A comparative analysis was performed using a surfactant (sulfanol), a polymer (sodium tripolyphosphate), and a polysaccharide additive (guar gum). The electrodeposition process was carried out at a current density of ۲۵۰ A/m² under controlled laboratory conditions. The results demonstrated that the type of additive significantly influences the morphology and purity of the deposited copper. In the absence of additives, a porous and non-uniform deposit with a copper purity of ۹۹.۱۱۵% was obtained. The use of sulfanol resulted in the formation of a dense, smooth, and homogeneous cathode with a high purity of ۹۹.۹۹۹%. Guar gum provided relatively uniform deposits with a purity of ۹۹.۹۵۶%, while sodium tripolyphosphate led to high chemical purity (۹۹.۹۶۶%) but a non-uniform and microstructure. The findings indicate that surfactants are the most effective additives for improving cathode quality by promoting uniform current distribution and controlled crystal growth. The results can be applied to optimize copper electrodeposition processes in hydrometallurgical systems.

کلیدواژه ها:

Copper electrodeposition ، Polysaccharides ، Surfactants ، Polymers ، electrochemical processes