Current efficiency improvement of Zn-Fe alloy electrodeposition by hydrogen inhibitor

In order to inhibit hydrogen evolution and enhance current efficiency of Zn-Fe alloy electrodeposition from alkaline zincate solution, hydrogen inhibitors composed of the sulfur group elements were optimized on the basis of atom structures analysis. The effects of hydrogen inhibitor on the current efficiency of Zn-Fe alloy electroplating and their electrochemical behaviors were studied. The results indicate that hydrogen inhibitor can increase the current efficiency of Zn-Fe alloy electroplating evidently, from 63.28% without hydrogen inhibitor up to 83.54% with a hydrogen inhibitor at a volume fraction of 2.0%, while it has a minor influence on that of pure Zn plating, which maintains at 80%. The optimum volume fraction of hydrogen inhibitor is 2.0%.