Electrodeposition of Ni-Fe-Co and Ni-Fe Graphene Oxide Alloy Composites
Authors: Bahrololoomi Arash , Sabourin Emma , Bilan Hubert K. , Podlaha Elizabeth J 
Published: September 2023

Graphene platelets can impart unique properties to metal matrices, such as enhanced conductivity, mechanical, thermal properties and catalytic activity.1,2 The electrodeposited process to fabricate composite metal matrices has an advantage over other techniques because it can avoid high heat treatment and deformation during fabrication, which can damage the intrinsic structure of graphene plates. Graphene itself is difficult to disperse and incorporate into electrodeposited films, but the oxidized form, having abundant surface functional groups, can be readily dispersed into aqueous solutions. Examples of electrodeposited metals with included graphene oxide (GO) from the electrolyte include elemental deposits such as Ni,3-4 Cu,2,5-6 and Co.7,8 In these studies, graphene oxide addition to the metal matrices promoted enhanced thermal conductivity in Cu,6 grain refinement in Ni4 and Cu5, improved wear resistance of Co7,8 and in the case of Ni changed its preferred crystallographic orientation.3 In alloy electrodeposition, the particle in the electrolyte may also alter the deposit composition through disparate changes in the individual metal ion partial current densities. The alloys containing Fe, Ni and Co from the reduction of their metal ions are of interest for their peculiar behavior, where there tends to be an inhibition of the more noble species reduction reaction (e.g. Ni, Co) in favor of the less noble (Fe) referred to as anomalous codeposition.9 To examine the influence of graphene oxide on the deposit composition, Ni-Fe-Co alloys were galvanostatically electrodeposited from a boric acid-sulfamate electrolyte containing commercial graphene oxide plates. Rotating disk electrodes were used to control the hydrodynamic environment near the cathode. The composition, morphology and structure were examined. The addition of graphene oxide resulted in a change in deposit composition, particularly for Fe and Ni, at low cathodic current densities less than 50 mA/cm2, with the deposit becoming less anomalous with the addition of graphene oxide. The change in composition is thought to be derived from a decrease in adsorbed iron intermediates from an anomalous codeposition model. The partial current densities of Ni-Fe-Co deposition with a measure of ohmically corrected potential are compared with Ni-Fe, Ni and Fe deposition with graphene.

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