ELECTROCHEMICAL KINETIC-PARAMETERS FOR THE CATHODIC DEPOSITION OF COPPER FROM DILUTE AQUEOUS ACID SULFATE-SOLUTIONS

The use of linear-sweep voltammetry and chronopotentiometry for the determination of kinetic parameters for the electrolytic recovery of copper from a simulated acid-copper electroplating waste solution was demonstrated. For the electrodeposition of copper from solutions of 0.007 approximately 0.008 mol/L CuSO4 + 0.5 mol/L H2SO4 at 25-degrees-C, the recommended values of the transfer coefficient (alpha) and exchange current density (i0) are alpha = 0.46 +/- 0.06 (95% confidence interval) and i0 = 11 +/- 4 A/m2. The close agreement between these values and the available literature values indicates the reliabilaity of the voltammetric and chronopotentiometric methods.