Initial Electrodeposition Behavior of Chromium from Hydrate-Melt Based Trivalent Chromium Baths

Abstract

Trivalent chromium electrodeposition is expected to substitute the conventional hard chromium electroplating that requires harmful hexavalent chromium. Recently, we revealed that crystalline chromium, which is effective for hard chromium properties, can be electrodeposited from trivalent chromium baths using chloride-based hydrate-melts. Herein, we investigated the initial behavior of the trivalent chromium electrodeposition by in situ analyses using electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) and ex situ characterization of resulting electrodeposits. In the very initial stage of electrolysis, proton reduction proceeds preferentially, resulting in chromium hydroxide precipitation on the electrode due to the local pH increase. Chromium reduction was found to require a few seconds of induction time to start. The transient was interpreted by the Sand equation which also indicated proton depletion near the cathode. In the hydrate-melts, due to the depletion of free water, the high proton mobility due to Grotthuss mechanism is lost, resulting in the suppression of hydrogen evolution after the induction time. This explains why chromium electrodeposits are obtained at extremely high current efficiencies of 60%–80%. Additionally, the proton reduction of the initial electrolysis stage may lead to negative effects, for example, impairing adhesion of chromium electrodeposits.