Home / Examples / Electric Analysis [Coulomb] / Example 8: Plating Analysis (Hull Cell Test Bath)

Example 8: Plating Analysis (Hull Cell Test Bath)

General

The electric field in the electroplating solution in Hull Cell Test bath* is analyzed.
The overvoltage at anode and cathode is taken into account.
The current density in the bath and the distribution of plating thickness are solved.
Unless specified in the list below, the default conditions will be applied.

Results will vary depending on Femtet version and the PC environment.

Analysis Space

Item	Settings
Analysis Space	3D
Model Unit	mm

Analysis Conditions

The material is conductor for the plating analysis.

Select the [Perform the plating analysis] option.

Item	Settings
Solver	Electric Analysis [Coulomb]
Analysis Type	Static Analysis (Resistance)
Options	Select Perform the plating analysis Select Calculating the plating thickness Plating Time: 300 [s]

Graphical Objects

The plating bath (Hull cell bath) is a solid body. The material is the plating solution.

The electrodes are set with the plating wall boundary condition.

Body Attributes and Materials

The plating bath (Hull cell bath) is a solid body. The material is the plating solution.

Body Number/Type	Body Attribute Name	Material Name
0/Solid	Cell	Plating Solution

The body attribute of the plating solution is set as follows.

Body Attribute Name	Plating Tab
Cell	Type of Plating Body: Plating solution

The conductivity of the plating solution is set as follows.

Material Name

Conductivity Tab

Plating Solution

Conductivity Type: Conductor

Conductivity: 10 [S/m]

Boundary Condition

The boundary conditions are set as follows.

Boundary Condition Name/Topology

Tab

Boundary Condition Type

Settings

Cathode/Face

Electric

Plating Wall

Electrode Setting: Cathode

Extracted Metal Setting
Conductivity	50×10^⁶ [S/m]
Electrochemical Equivalent	100×10^{^-9} [kg/(As)]
Density	10×10^³ [kg/m^³]
Extraction Efficiency	1.0x10^⁰

Overvoltage Type: Tafel's Law

a1 [V]	5.0x10^{^-2}
a2 [Vm^²/A]	1.0x10^{^-1}

Anode/Face

Electric

Plating Wall

Electrode Setting: Anode

Overvoltage Type: Linear

a1[V]	0.0
a2 [Vm²/A]	5.0x10^-5

Plating Condition: Current 1.0 [A]

In this example, when the analysis is with the current of anode specified, Current is selected for the plating condition of the plating wall.
If the analysis is with the electric potential of anode specified, select Electric Potential.
Calculations of the electric potential-specified analysis is less than that of current-specified analysis, and the analysis time will be shorter.

Results

The current density vector is shown in Figure 1 below.
The current density distribution typical of the test bath is observed around the cathode.

Fig. 1 Current density vector

By using the drawing feature of Femtet, show the plating thickness extracted on the cathode.
Fig. 2 shows the plating thickness along the cathode from the start point at the right bottom up to the right top in Fig. 1.
Plating thickness is distributed according to the current density.

Fig. 2 Distribution of the plating thickness

Refer to Field Graph for the detail of graph drawing.

(*) "Hull cell" is a product of Yamamoto-MS Co., Ltd.