An investigation into the electrodeposition of AuCu-matrix particulate composites. Part II: Baths not containing free cyanide

In this paper we report on the electrodeposition of AuCu/B4C composites fro m acid baths with gold cyanocomplexes and no free cyanide. The electrochemi cal behaviour of the bath and the metallographic and crystalline structures of the electrodeposited alloys were studied with and without addition of p articles. Electrochemical instabilities were previously observed for free-c yanide baths and their bearing on the structure of both pure matrix and com posite electrodeposits were elucidated. No instabilities were observed in t he alloy deposition from the acid baths containing complexed cyanide: compo sitionally and structurally homogeneous microstructures were obtained both with and without particle embedding.