Highly (111) Textured Copper Foils with High Hardness and High Electrical Conductivity by Pulse Reverse Electrodeposition

The present article reports the pulse reverse electrodeposition of highly (111) textured freestanding copper foils, in an additive-free electrolyte, exhibiting hardness as high as 2.2-2.7 GPa with an electrical conductivity equal to that of bulk copper. The short anodic pulse applied and the absence of organic additives allowed the formation of highly dense foils with room-temperature stability in terms of mechanical and electrical properties. The process involves a fast electrodeposition method with a deposition rate of 25-50 mu m/h. The (111) texture and twin boundaries contribute to the high hardness and better electrical conductivity of the copper foils. (C) 2010 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/1.3358145] All rights reserved.