Electrolytic cell with bipolar electrodes
First Claim
1. Apparatus for electrodepositing a selected metal onto a surface comprising an electrolytic solution, means for containing said electrolytic solution, an anode of the depositing metal in said electrolytic solution, a cathode in spaced relation to said anode in said electrolytic solution, one side of said cathode being the surface on which said selected metal is deposited, a pair of metal screen electrodes intermediaate said anode and said cathode in said electrolytic solution, means for electrically interconnecting said pair of electrodes, means for positioning one of said electrodes in close proximity to said cathode, means for positoning the other of said electrodes between said node and said one of said electrodes, and means for periodically reversing the positions of said pair of electrodes whereby said metal is uniformly deposited on said cathode side from the electrode in close proximity thereto substantially independent of the position, size, and shape of said anode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In the electrodeposition of metals, the position and shape of the anode with respect to the cathode is critical for uniform deposition of the metal on the cathode. A bipolar electrode comprising a pair of electrically interconnected porous electrodes having surfaces of the metal to be deposited is interposed between the anode and the cathode. The bipolar porous electrode facing the cathode provides metal ions for deposition on the cathode and the bipolar porous electrode facing the anode is plated with metal ions formed at the anode. The position of the bipolar electrode may be periodically reversed, and uniform deposition on the cathode is obtained independent of the shape, size, and position of the anode.
55 Citations
7 Claims
- 1. Apparatus for electrodepositing a selected metal onto a surface comprising an electrolytic solution, means for containing said electrolytic solution, an anode of the depositing metal in said electrolytic solution, a cathode in spaced relation to said anode in said electrolytic solution, one side of said cathode being the surface on which said selected metal is deposited, a pair of metal screen electrodes intermediaate said anode and said cathode in said electrolytic solution, means for electrically interconnecting said pair of electrodes, means for positioning one of said electrodes in close proximity to said cathode, means for positoning the other of said electrodes between said node and said one of said electrodes, and means for periodically reversing the positions of said pair of electrodes whereby said metal is uniformly deposited on said cathode side from the electrode in close proximity thereto substantially independent of the position, size, and shape of said anode.
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7. Apparatus for electrodepositing copper comprising an aqueous solution of CuSO4 means for containing an aqueous solution, a copper anode in said solution, a cathode workpiece a pair of metal screen electrodes, each platable with copper in spaced relation intermediate said anode and cathode means for electrically interconnecting said pair of electrodes, means for positioning one of said pair of electrodes in parallel relation to and in close proximity to said cathode workpiece, means for positioning the other electrode intermediate said one electrode and said copper anode, and means for periodically reversing the positions of said one electrode and said other electrode, said electrode in close proximity to said cathode workpiece being initially plated with copper whereby the copper from said electrode in close proximity to said cathode workpiece is uniformly deposited on said cathode workpiece substantially independent of the size, position, and shape of said copper anode.
Specification