title: Morphological dependence of silver electrodeposits investigated by changing the ionic liquid solvent and the deposition parameters.
abstract: The low toxicity and environmentally compatible ionic liquids (ILs) are alternatives to the toxic and harmful cyanide-based baths used in industrial silver electrodeposition. Here, we report the successful galvanostatic electrodeposition of silver films using the air and water stable ILs 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethylsulfonate ([EMIM]TfO) and 1-H-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulphate ([HMIM(+)][HSO4(-)]) as solvents and AgTfO as the source of silver. The electrochemical deposition parameters were thoughtfully studied by cyclic voltammetry before deposition. The electrodeposits were characterized by scanning electron microscopy coupled with X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to investigate the structural dynamic and energetic properties of AgTfO in both ILs. Cyclic voltammetry experiments revealed that the reduction of silver is a diffusion-controlled process. The morphology of the silver coatings obtained in [EMIM]TfO is independent of the applied current density, resulting in nodular electrodeposits grouped as crystalline clusters. However, the current density significantly influences the morphology of silver electrodeposits obtained in [HMIM(+)][HSO4(-)], thus evolving from dendrites at 15 mA cm(-2) to the coexistence of dendrites and columnar shapes at 30 mA cm(-2). These differences are probably due to the greater interaction of Ag(+) with [HSO4(-)] than with TfO(-), as indicated by the MD simulations. The morphology of Ag deposits is independent of the electrodeposition temperature for both ILs, but higher values of temperature promoted increased cluster sizes. Pure face-centred cubic polycrystalline Ag was deposited on the films with crystallite sizes on the nanometre scale. The morphological dependence of Ag electrodeposits obtained in the [HMIM(+)][HSO4(-)] IL on the current density applied opens up the opportunity to produce different and predetermined Ag deposits.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Analítica e Físico-Química, Centro de Ciências, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Bloco 940 Campus do Pici, 60440-900, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil. adriana@ufc.br.
authors.forename: Francisco A A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Figueredo-Sobrinho
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Analítica e Físico-Química, Centro de Ciências, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Bloco 940 Campus do Pici, 60440-900, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil. adriana@ufc.br.
authors.forename: Luis P M
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Analítica e Físico-Química, Centro de Ciências, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Bloco 940 Campus do Pici, 60440-900, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil. adriana@ufc.br.
authors.forename: Davi S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Analítica e Físico-Química, Centro de Ciências, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Bloco 940 Campus do Pici, 60440-900, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil. adriana@ufc.br.
authors.forename: Diego C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Craveiro
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Tecnologia e Pesquisa/Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Processos, Universidade Tiradentes, 49032-490, Aracaju-SE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Samir H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Tecnologia e Pesquisa/Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Processos, Universidade Tiradentes, 49032-490, Aracaju-SE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Katlin I B
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Eguiluz
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Tecnologia e Pesquisa/Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Processos, Universidade Tiradentes, 49032-490, Aracaju-SE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Giancarlo R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Salazar-Banda
authors.affiliation: ABCSim, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Avenida dos Estados, 5001, Bloco B, sala 1017, 09210-580, Santo André-SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cleiton D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Maciel
authors.affiliation: ABCSim, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Avenida dos Estados, 5001, Bloco B, sala 1017, 09210-580, Santo André-SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maurício D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Coutinho-Neto
authors.affiliation: ABCSim, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Avenida dos Estados, 5001, Bloco B, sala 1017, 09210-580, Santo André-SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Homem-de-Mello
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Analítica e Físico-Química, Centro de Ciências, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Bloco 940 Campus do Pici, 60440-900, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil. adriana@ufc.br.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de Lima-Neto
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Analítica e Físico-Química, Centro de Ciências, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Bloco 940 Campus do Pici, 60440-900, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil. adriana@ufc.br.
authors.forename: Adriana N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Correia