Electrochemistry of tin deposition from an acid-sulfate methane sulfonate electrolyte

The electrodeposition of tin, at a copper surface, from a tin sulphate (0˙014 mol dm^–3) electrolyte containing methanesulphonic acid (12 ˙5 vol.-%) at 295 K has been studied. Cyclic voltammetry, using potential sweep rates of 8–128 mV s^–1, at a stationary copper electrode provided information on the potential ranges for tin deposition and stripping. Linear sweep voltammetry, at a copper rotating disc electrode was used to evaluate the mass transport characteristics of the system under controlled, laminar flow conditions. The changes in the limiting current density with a Sn²⁺ concentration of 0˙006–0˙078 mol dm^–3 and an electrode rotation rate of 200–4800 rev min^–1 were quantified. Randles-Sevčik and Levich equations were used to give an averaged diffusion coefficient for Sn²⁺ of 5˙4 × 10^–6 cm² s^–1.