A New Periodic Displacement Method Applied to Electrodeposition of Cu‐Ag Alloys

Abstract

A new method is described for preparing multilayered alloys by periodically interrupting electrodeposition of the less noble metal to permit electroless displacement of a portion of the electrodeposited material by the more noble component. Visibly smooth, nodule‐free Cu‐Ag alloys of controlled composition have been prepared and shown to exhibit excellent tensile properties. The Ag displacement layers grow epitaxially on Cu(111) planes, which are preferentially aligned parallel with the cathode surface for the cyanide bath studied. In addition, periodic displacement deposition of multilayered structures potentially represents a sensitive means for studying the kinetics of such displacement reactions.