Electrochemical Co-Deposition of Gold and Carbon Nanocapsules from a Colloidal Suspension

This paper shows the preparation of a gold suspension containing carbon nanocapsules and their co-deposition from the colloidal galvanic bath on a nickel electrode to obtain gold/nanocapsules composite coatings. The incorporation of the nanocapsules was confirmed by surface analysis and confocal microscopy. The influence of suspension preparation, nanocapsule concentration and stirring during the co-deposition was analyzed and showed that capsules strongly adhere on the surface and are coated by the gold matrix forming rounded clusters. The efficiency of the galvanostatic deposition increases in presence of capsules due to the increase in the active area and the metal growth on the carbon surfaces. The results establish a theoretical background for the electrochemical co-deposition of carbon nanocapsules acting as carriers for the further development of smart coatings. (C) 2019 The Electrochemical Society.