skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Electrodeposition of Au/Ag bimetallic dendrites assisted by Faradaic AC-electroosmosis flow

Journal Article · · AIP Advances
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4868518· OSTI ID:22250888
; ; ; ; ;  [1]; ; ;  [2]
  1. Micro and Nano-system Research Centre, College of Information Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, 030024, Taiyuan (China)
  2. MEMS Laboratory, Department of Precision Instruments, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing (China)

Au/Ag bimetallic dendrites were synthesized successfully from the corresponding aqueous solution via the AC electrodeposition method. Both of the morphologies and compositions could be tuned by the electrolyte concentration and AC frequency. The prepared bimetallic dendrites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV–vis spectroscopy. The underlying dendrite growth mechanism was then proposed in the context of the Directed Electrochemical Nanowires Assembly (DENA) models. Owing to the unscreened voltage dropping in the electrolyte bulk, electromigration dominates the species flux process, and cations tend to accumulate in areas with strong electric field intensity, such as electrode edges. Moreover, Faradaic AC-electro-osmosis (ACEO) flow could increase the effective diffusion layer thickness in these areas during the electrochemical reaction, and leads to dendrite growth. Further Micro-Raman observations illustrated that the Au/Ag bimetallic dendrites exhibited pronounced surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity, using 4-mercaptopyridine (4-MP) as model molecules.

OSTI ID:
22250888
Journal Information:
AIP Advances, Vol. 4, Issue 3; Other Information: (c) 2014 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2158-3226
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English