NUCLEATION, GROWTH, AND MORPHOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF ELECTRODEPOSITED NICKEL FILMS FROM DIFFERENT BATHS

The processes of nickel electrodeposition on Pt/Si(100) substrate from an aqueous sulfate, Watts, and chloride solution have been studied using electrochemical techniques and atomic force microscopy (AFM). It was found that hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was shifted more cathodically and the nickel electrodeposition obeys to inhibition process, caused by adsorbed species in surface substrate. At early stage of the deposition chronoamperometric results were compared with Sharifker and Hills theoretical model. The nucleation was in agreement with progressive mode followed by 3D diffusion growth mechanism. The nucleation is generally slow at low over potentials, in all studied baths. AFM images show distribution nickel clusters, with different sizes.