Electrodeposition Module

The Electrodeposition Module is a new module intended for investigating the influence of different parameters, in an electrodeposition cell, on the thickness and composition of electrodeposited metal layers.

Important parameters that can be studied with the module are the following:

• Cell geometry

• Electrolyte composition and mixing

• Electrode kinetics

• Operating potential and average current density

• Temperature.

The targeted applications for the Electrodeposition Module are the following:

• Copper deposition for electronics and electrical applications

• Metal deposition for protection of parts, such as corrosion protection and protection against wear

• Decoration of metals and plastic parts

• Electroforming of parts with thin and complex structure

• Metal electrowinning.

Major Functionality

• Electrodeposition, Secondary interface with full electrode kinetics for perfectly mixed electrolyte for fixed and moving boundaries.

• Electrodeposition, Tertiary Nernst-Planck interface for transport of species through diffusion, migration, and convection and with kinetics expressions that account for both activation and concentration overpotential. Also this interface is available for fixed and moving boundaries.

• Simulation of the thickness and composition of the deposited layer at the electrode surfaces for both primary and secondary current distribution in fixed and moving geometries.

• Fluid Flow interfaces that can be combined with the Electrodeposition interfaces to model free and forced convection in the electrolytic cell.

• The Heat Transfer interfaces have ready-made formulations for the contribution of Joule heating, and other electrochemical losses, to the thermal balance in the cell.

• Moving boundaries with and without remeshing.

• Time-dependent studies and capabilities to model AC-impedance for elementary studies of electrodeposition.