Structural and textural study of electrodeposited zinc from alkaline non-cyanide electrolyte

Pulse electrodeposition was used to produce zinc deposits from an alkaline non-cyanide electrolyte with additives. The influence of additives’ concentration and pulse parameters, such as ON-time, OFF-time, and pulse peak current density on the grain size, surface morphology, and crystal orientation were investigated. In an additive-free electrolyte, increase in OFF-time at constant ON-time and peak current density decreases the grain size while the latter increases with increasing ON-time at constant OFF-time and peak current density. A progressive decrease of grain size was observed with increasing peak current density up to 5 Adm−2 at constant ON-time and OFF-time in both additive-free electrolyte and bath containing additives. Zinc with an average crystallite size of 34 nm was obtained at 5 Adm−2 from electrolyte containing additives. The preferred orientation of the zinc deposits obtained at 6 ms (ON-time), 51.5 ms (OFF-time) and 5 Adm−2 (peak current density) with electrolyte containing additives was prismatic [10.0] plane.