FORMA
Sci. Form Vol. 3 (No. 1), pp. 13-26, 1988

Dependence of Growth Form of Zinc Metal Leaves on Electric Potential and Electrolyte Concentration

Hiroshi Kondoh and Yasuji Sawada

Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University, Sendai 980, Japan

Keywords: Fractal, Diffusion-Limited Aggregation, Electrodeposition, Anisotropy

Abstract. The growth form of Zn Metal leaves were examined in detail in a thin cylindrical cell of a thickness of 0.25 mm and a diameter of 110 mm for various electric potentials and various electrolytic concentrations. The cathode is a thin metal wire of 1 mm Ø and the anode is a thin Zn ring of a thickness of 0.25 mm. At high concentration and very low potential region a polycrystalline precipitate of compact growth form was observed. At high concentration and a relatively low potential, a DLA-like structure was observed. At a low concentration the growth structure was ramified but dense with a well defined-circular periphery. In the medium concentration the growth form is dendritic, and the regularity increases with the electric potential. At high concentration and high potential the growth form is dendritic but the sidebranch growth is extremely suppressed, and looks like a needle form.