Electrodeposition in support: concentration gradients, an ohmic model and the genesis of branching fractals

Abstract

The technique of paper-supported copper electrodeposition provides examples of well-presented fractal and dense radial structures. The growths may be developed to reveal concentration gradients around the growths at low cell overpotential. Measurements for current and length scale against time, within a mid-range of cell overpotentials, fit an ohmic model of the growth conditions. To examine the relation of growth morphology to the micrometre-scale structure, we grew first at one overpotential and then continued at a lower overpotential. Electron microscope observations of this growth reveal a distinct change in microstructure from irregular to dentritic microcrystalline from the high to low potential respectively. The interface between the growths is a distinctive compact granular deposit. The granular deposit is unstable to branching and dendrite growth.