Effect of Sodium Alcohol Thiyl Propane Sulfonate on Electrolysis of High Performance Copper Foil for Lithium Ion Batteries

Abstract

Electrolytic copper foils have been widely used in printed circuit boards and lithium-ion batteries due to their simple production process and high economic value. In the process of electrolysis foil making, additives can greatly improve the performance of electrolytic copper foils. In this work, the copper foils were prepared in a self-designed plate electrodeposition device of which the operating principles were in accordance with those of actual industrial production. A series of the Virgin Make-up Solution (VMS: 312.5 g·L^-1 CuSO₄·5H₂O, 100 g·L^-1 H₂SO₄, 50 mg·L^-1 Cl^-) containing different additives was investigated to study the electrochemical behaviors of the electrolytes and their effects on the surface morphology, structure, and properties of the electrolytic copper foils. The results showed that HP had a strong depolarization effect in the combined additive system, which can accelerate the growth of copper nuclei, and had the optimal growth orientation of the enhanced copper (200) crystal surface. HVP had adsorption effect on the cathode surface and formed a barrier layer on the cathode active site, which inhibits the electrical deposition of copper. DPS had a strong depolarization effect at low concentration, with the high concentration, a polarization effect reduced the grain size. When HP and DPS coexisted, there was a competitive adsorption, showing certain polarization effect. The synergistic effect of HP with DPS and HVP could further reduce the grain size of electrolytic copper foils, reduce the surface roughness, and improve the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the coatings. The obtained electrolytic copper foils were uniformly dense, with an average grain size of 29.2 nm, an average roughness of 1.12 μm. and an average tensile strength of 399.5 MPa. The electrolytic copper foils obtained exhibited the superior corrosion resistance, became the ideal materials for lithium-ion battery anode fluid collection, and had high commercial value. Subsequently, the effects of DPS and HVP in the combined additive system on the surface morphology and physical properties of copper foil will be investigated to further explore the action mechanism of the combined additive and improve the electrodeposition model.

Keywords

electrolytic copper foil / additives / electrochemical / tensile strength / corrosion resistant

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