Electrodeposition: Copper and Zinc Deposition and Synthesis of Nickel Nanowires

In Part 1 of this two part lab, students are introduced to the applications of forcing a chemical reaction using an electrical current. Students will discover how a flow of electrons allows cations in solution to revert to a solid state while plating an object. Students will become familiar with the process which allows the ions of the plating solution to be replenished, and how this results in a loss of mass for the solid metal electrode. In Part 2, the ywill construct and study and electrolytic cell capable of plating metal ions of nickel into alumina pores with a diameter of 20 nanometers. The lesson will demonstrate how simple techniques can replicate the work done in research labs.