The control of morphology and structure of galvanostatically produced tin dendrites by analysis of chronopotentiometry response

The influence of chronopotentiometry response on the morphology and structure of galvanostatically synthesized tin dendritic particles has been investigated. Sn dendrites were electrodeposited at the current density 1.5 times larger than the limiting diffusion current density (− 3 mA cm −2 ) with various amounts of the electricity (200 and 400 mC), and the obtained morphology and structure of the particles were characterized by SEM and XRD techniques, respectively. The strong effect of the amount of spent electricity on the morphology and structure of the particles was observed, and it is explained by morphological and structural analysis of Sn particles produced potentiostatically at various cathodic potentials selected to be in line with the recorded chronopotentiometry response. The strong correlation among chronopotentiometry response, morphology, and structure of the Sn dendrites was established. The spear-like and the dendrites with prismatic branches possessed the strong (200),(400) preferred orientation, and they were obtained with a chronopotentiometry response of about − 1200 mV vs. Ag/AgCl. The chronopotentiometry responses in the − 1210 ÷ − 1740 mV vs. Ag/AgCl range caused a formation of the fern-like dendrites with the strong (220),(440) preferred orientation. Based on the obtained results, it follows that the chronopotentiometry analysis represents good diagnostic criteria for obtaining Sn powder particles of desired morphology and structure.