Electrodeposition of Ag onto Au(111) from Deep Eutectic Solvents

Silver electrodeposition onto Au(111) has been studied as a function of composition of deep eutectic solvent (DES) type III and IV. The electrochemical investigations were performed by using cyclic voltammetry and in-situ electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance experiments. Scanning electron microscopy coupled with Auger spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy were used to characterize the deposited metal overlayers. Silver deposition from DES type III shows several analogies to the electrocrystallization from aqueous solutions, such as the presence of underpotential deposition. It is shown that the hydrogen-bond donor exerts a strong influence on the silver growth mode and on the structure of the metal deposits. In addition, the hydrogen-bond donor turns out to exert a rather strong influence on the plating process during silver deposition from DES type IV.