INTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS FORMED BY ELECTRODEPOSITION OF INDIUM ON BISMUTH

Indium electrodeposition on bismuth cathodes at constant current densi ty and room temperature gives rise to the formation of three intermeta llic compounds owing to indium diffusion and reaction inside the elect rode. The mechanism of this process has been investigated by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectrometry and X-ray diffract ion, analysing the morphology, composition and structure of the deposi t surface and cross-section. The intermetallic compounds are In2Bi, In 5Bi3 and InBi, the latter being the unique compound at the end of the analysed time-scale (1500 h), while In5Bi3 never emerged on the electr ode surface.