The Effect of Naphthalene‐Based Additives on the Kinetics of Tin Electrodeposition on Boron‐Doped Diamond Electrodes

Abstract

The effect of naphthalene-based additives: naphthalene (NPT), naphthalenesulfonate (NPTS) and hydroxynaphthalenesulfonate (HNPTS) on the kinetics of tin electrodeposition on a borondoped diamond (BDD) electrode has been studied by means of chronoamperometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Potentiostatic current transients in the absence and the presence of naphthalene-based additives are analyzed by using the Scharifker-Hills model. A strong decrease of the kinetics of tin nucleation on BDD was observed in the presence of naphthalene-based additives, NPT showing the smallest effect and HNPTS showing the largest effect. From the long-term Cottrell behavior of the transients, similar values of tin(II) diffusion coefficients were obtained for all additives, suggesting that there is no complexation of Sn(II) by the additives and that the charge-transfer kinetics itself is not substantially influenced by the presence of the additives. In the absence of additives, tin deposition on BDD displays a progressive nucleation and growth mechanism at the least negative potentials, switching to instantaneous nucleation and growth at more negative potential. In the presence of NPTS and HNPTS, progressive nucleation and growth transients are observed. The growth mode results are confirmed by the tin features observed in the scanning electron micrographs. In conclusion, NPT, NPTS and HNPTS mainly decrease the rate of the nucleation of tin deposition, most likely by blocking or reducing access to active nucleation sites. In comparison, ethoxylated α-napthalenesulfonic acid (ENSA, a commonly used additive in the tin plating industry) inhibits tin deposition process on BDD even more strongly. These observations show a striking similarity to our previous study of tin deposition on gold electrodes.