Enhancing the Electrochemical Properties of Metal Deposits in Autocatalytic Copper Deposition Baths Containing Polyols

Abstract

This paper reveals the impact of pH and the number of hydroxide groups in an environmentally friendly copper deposition bath using polyhydroxylic chelators using dimethylamine borane (DMAB) as a reductant and potassium hydroxide as a pH adjuster at room temperature (28 ± 2 °C). Glycerol, erythritol, xylitol, and sorbitol are examples of monosaccharide polyols having tri, tetra, penta, and hexa hydroxylic groups in their structures were used as an environmentally benign complexing agent in the methane sulphonic acid (MSA) solvated deposition bath. The study demonstrated that, in addition to the hydroxide groups in the polyols, the pH of the electroless bath is a critical factor in copper deposition. The impact of temperature and pH on the rate of deposition of the bath was examined. Atomic absorption spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction studies was used to examine the surface and structural properties of the deposits and Tafel, electrochemical impedance, and cyclic voltammetry (CV) were used to examine the electrochemical properties of the polyol chelated deposition bath.