Electrodeposition of Ni from low-temperature sulfamate electrolytes

Abstract

The film stress of Ni films deposited at near-ambient temperatures from sulfamate electrolytes was investigated. The particulate filtering of the electrolyte, a routine industrial practice, becomes an important deposition parameter at lower bath temperatures. At 28°C, elevated tensile film stress develops at low current densities (<10 mA cm2) if the electrolyte is filtered. Filtering at higher current densities has a negligible effect on film stress. A similar though less pronounced trend is observed at 32°C. Sulfate-based Ni plating baths display similar film stress sensitivity to filtering, suggesting that this is a general effect for Ni electrodeposition. It is shown that filtering does not significantly change either the current efficiency or the pH near the surface during deposition. The observed changes in film stress are thus attributed not to adsorbed hydrogen but instead to the effects of filtering on the formation and concentration of polyborate species due to the decreased solubility of boric acid at near-ambient temperatures. © 2006 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.