Computer Simulation Study of Patterns of Copper and Silver Dendrites Grown from Aqueous Solution in High Magnetic Field

Abstract

Abstract The magnetic field effects (MFEs) on the patterns and yields of silver and copper dendrites generated from Cu2+/Zn and Ag+/Cu liquid-solid redox reactions are simulated with the aid of a biased random walk model. In the present model, multi-particles are generated to represent metal ions, and their trajectories walk randomly with superimposed drifts. Comparing the simulation patterns and yields with the experimental ones, it is confirmed that the convection of solution induced by the magnetic force is responsible for the observed MFEs on the dendrites in a high magnetic field gradient (ca. 400 T2 m-1).