EFFECT OF GELATIN ON THE CHANGES IN INITIAL CATHODE POLARIZATION DURING ELECTRODEPOSITION OF COPPER
In the absence of addition agent, the cathode polarization during initial electrolysis of copper from a solution of acid copper sulphate rose almost instantaneously from zero to approximately the steady state polarization. When gelatin was present in the electrolyte, the polarization generally increased to a maximum, Pmax, (in time tmax) then decreased to a minimum, Pmin, (in-time tmin) beyond which it increased to the steady state value, Ps. Generally, Pmax increased to a steady value with an increase in the time, T0, the electrode was in contact with the electrolyte before electrolysis was begun. At low, moderate, and high current densities respectively, tmax increased continuously, passed through a maximum, and decreased continuously with T0.The behavior of tmin approximately paralleled that of tmax. The polarization was linear in the logarithm of the current density; tmax and tmin decreased with increase in current density. The polarization values increased and tmax decreased, with increase in gelatin concentration. Increase of temperature had approximately the same effect as decrease in current density. With both chloride and gelatin present, Pmax was practically independent of T0 and chloride concentration, while Pmin and Ps showed minimum values at about 2 mgm./l. chloride.