Influence of bath additives on the composition of electrodeposited silver coatings

Several thin‐film analysis techniques (energy‐dispersive x‐ray analysis and Auger, Rutherford backscattering and non‐resonance (d,p) reactions) were used to assess the level of impurities incorporated during silver deposition in the presence and absence of additives. The study showed that the elemental constituents of the more strongly absorbed additives, i.e. brighteners, were incorporated with the silver deposits. The levelling agents are less strongly absorbed and thus their constituents were not appreciably incorporated with the silver deposits.