Method of measuring the effective inhibitor concentration during a deposition of metal from aqueous electrolytes and test apparatus therefor

US4834842A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Norddeutsche Affinerie Aktiengesellschaft

Inventors

• Bernd Langner · Winsen, DE
• Peter Stantke · Buxtehude, DE
• Ernst-Friedrich Reinking · Wesel, DE
• Gunther Kunst · Herrsching am Ammersee, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 18, 1988
• Grant date: May 30, 1989
• Expiry date: May 18, 2008

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S205/924
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The effectiveness of organic additives acting as inhibitors during the electrolytic deposition of metals from aqueous electrolytes, which contain organic additives for improving the deposition of metal, is electrically measured. In order to permit an improved and more reliable check of the effectiveness of the inhibitor and to permit a controlled supply of makeup inhibitors at the required rate, a partial stream of the electrolyte is supplied to flow at a constant velocity in a measuring cell provided with at least three wire electrodes having a fresh conductor surface, a measuring current of 5 mA to 1.0 A is supplied to the electrodes and is maintained, and the slope of the plotted cathode potential-time curve in the range from 0.1 to 50 minutes is taken as a measure of the effective conecentration of the inhibitor. The method can be used to measure the effective inhibitor concentration in an electrolyte used to electrorefine copper and to measure the effective conecentration of brightener in the electrodeposition of metal.