Study of the Effect of Polymeric Additives in Copper Electrolyte on the Quality of Cathode Metal

نویسندگان

1 Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation, 29/133 Shevchenko Street, Almaty, Kazakhstan

2 Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation, 29/133 Shevchenko Street, Almaty, Kazakhstan

3 Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation, 29/133 Shevchenko Street, Almaty, Kazakhstan

4 Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation, 29/133 Shevchenko Street, Almaty, Kazakhstan

5 Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation, 29/133 Shevchenko Street, Almaty, Kazakhstan

doi
10.48309/ajca.2026.578924.2090
چکیده

This study investigates the effect of organic additives on the electrocrystallization behavior and quality of cathode copper during electrodeposition from a copper sulfate electrolyte. A comparative analysis was performed using a surfactant (sulfanol), a polymer (sodium tripolyphosphate), and a polysaccharide additive (guar gum). The electrodeposition process was carried out at a current density of 250 A/m² under controlled laboratory conditions. The results demonstrated that the type of additive significantly influences the morphology and purity of the deposited copper. In the absence of additives, a porous and non-uniform deposit with a copper purity of 99.115% was obtained. The use of sulfanol resulted in the formation of a dense, smooth, and homogeneous cathode with a high purity of 99.999%. Guar gum provided relatively uniform deposits with a purity of 99.956%, while sodium tripolyphosphate led to high chemical purity (99.966%) but a non-uniform and microstructure. The findings indicate that surfactants are the most effective additives for improving cathode quality by promoting uniform current distribution and controlled crystal growth. The results can be applied to optimize copper electrodeposition processes in hydrometallurgical systems.