SUMMARY

Electrodeposition is a widely used manufacturing technology in industry due to its simplicity, low-cost and scalability for practical applications. In electrodeposition, the composition and morphology of yielded materials can be tuned by adjusting electrochemical parameters and electrolyte compositions. Historically the development and modification of electrodeposition recipes are mostly based on trial-and-error tests and postmortem analyses. To reveal the insights of electrodeposition and develop rational design strategies, we designed a series of in situ XRD tools for electrodeposition, which allows for systematic investigation to reveal how deposition conditions impact the chemical/phase composition and morphology. Several model materials were studied. CuZn alloy was first electrodeposited under different conditions to obtain desired compositions and morphology. Then Zn is electrochemically etched from CuZn alloy to form 3D Cu as current collectors for Li-metal batteries. A quantification method for electrochemical deposition is developed with using Cu deposition as the model system, which quantitatively characterize the growth rate and texture formation. A high throughput in situ X-ray diffraction characterization platform is also developed to provide capability for the design and screening of complex alloys under different electrochemical deposition/ dealloying conditions.