Electrochemistry of tin in the 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide room temperature ionic liquid

The electrochemistry of Sn(II) was studied in the room temperature ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide (EMI-DCA) on a glassy carbon (GC) and a polycrystalline Pt electrode at 40 °C. The Sn(II) species was introduced into the ionic liquid by either dissolution of SnCl₂ or anodizing a Sn wire. The reduction potential of the Sn(II)/Sn couple produced in these two solutions was found to be different, indicating that different Sn(II) species may be present. The order of the reduction potential of the two Sn(II) species indicates that the Gutmann donor ability of the anions is likely to be DCA^- > Cl^-. Cyclic voltammetry indicates the stripping efficiency is >90% on the Pt but only 40% on the GC electrode. Analysis of the chronoamperometric transient behavior during electrodeposition suggests that the deposition of Sn on the GC electrode involves a three dimensional progressive nucleation on a finite number of active sites. The diffusion coefficient of SnCl₂ dissolved in the EMI-DCA was found to be 9.8 × 10^-7 cm² s^-1 which is in the same order of magnitude as those reported for SnCl₂ in several other ionic liquids. Depending on the deposition potentials, potentiostatic electrolysis produced Sn deposits with various unusual morphologies such as hexagonal tubes, spiral nanowires, and dendrite.