Effect of Cu(I) ion on electrodeposition of zinc from ChCl-urea deep eutectic solvent

The effect of Cu(I) ions on the electrodeposition of zinc from ChCl-urea-ZnO deep eutectic solvent (DES) was investigated through electrochemical measurement and the deposit characterization. The cyclic voltammetry and cathodic polarization analyses demonstrated that Cu(I) ions obviously decreased the nucleation potential of Zn(II) and promoted the Zn(II) reduction reaction. The analysis of the chronoamperometric transients indicated that the nucleation and growth mode of Zn deposition changed from a three-dimensional progressive nucleation to three-dimensional instantaneous nucleation in the presence of Cu(I) ions. The addition of Cu(I) ions was observed to change the surface morphology, purity, and crystallographic orientation of the zinc deposits.