Nucleation during electrocrystallization of cobalt on glassy carbon (GC)

Abstract

A glassy carbon (GC) static disc electrode substrate was employed for both chronoamperometry and to study the morphological growth behaviour of cobalt in sulfate solutions containing 0.10 M and 0.50 M Co2+, at pH 2.5, and 60 degreesC. The effect of potentiostatic pulses on the initial stage of electrodeposition of cobalt is reported. The early stages of metal deposition were found to be controlled by three-dimensional instantaneous nucleation followed by hemispherical growth. The experimental findings for the growth mechanism matched well with the theoretical results and the 3D-growth of cobalt nuclei was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).