Electrodeposition of cadmium from lewis basic hydrophobic room-temperature ionic liquid

Electrodeposition of cadmium (Cd) was investigated in a hydrophobic room-temperature ionic liquid, 1-butyl-1- methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide (BMPTFSA) using CdCl₂ as the source of Cd species in the presence of excess chloride ion. Raman spectroscopy and potentiometric measurement suggested formation of a cadmium tetrachlocomplex, [CdCl₄]^2-, in BMPCl/BMPTFSA. Cyclic voltammetry showed the possibility of electrochemical reduction from [CdCl₄]^2- to Cd(0) with interesting unusual electrochemical behavior, probably derived from the potential-dependent electric double layer structure typical to the ionic liquid. Electrodeposition of Cd was performed by potentiostatic electrolysis and the deposits were characterized by X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray analysis and scanning electron microscopy.