(297c) Tutorial on Electrodeposition and the Rotating Hull Cell

The electrodeposition of alloy and metal matrix composite materials are of interest due to their unique and often superior properties compared to their elemental counterparts. While a Hull cell and a rotating Hull cell are convenient tools to quickly survey resulting deposit compositions with current density, it can also be used to provide information to better understand the deposition mechanisms and kinetic-transport behavior. In this talk, the use of a rotating Hull cell will be discussed in the context of the underlying theory in current distribution, and the cautionary tale of when a Hull cell design is not always useful. Together with linear sweep voltammetry, the rotating Hull cell can be used to determine the partial current densities of metal ion reduction in the study of alloy systems that exhibit anomalous and induced codeposition. It can also aid in the study of composite electrodeposition to incorporate second phase particles into metal matrix alloys. Extracting kinetic and mass transport data from this approach can help to develop better models for the electrodeposition process itself that governs the resulting deposit composition.