Abstract: The embodiments herein relate to methods and apparatus for electroplating one or more materials onto a substrate. In many cases the material is a metal and the substrate is a semiconductor wafer, though the embodiments are no so limited. Typically, the embodiments herein utilize a channeled plate positioned near the substrate, creating a cross flow manifold defined on the bottom by the channeled plate, on the top by the substrate, and on the sides by a cross flow confinement ring. Also typically present is an edge flow element configured to direct electrolyte into a corner formed between the substrate and substrate holder. During plating, fluid enters the cross flow manifold both upward through the channels in the channeled plate, and laterally through a cross flow side inlet positioned on one side of the cross flow confinement ring. The flow paths combine in the cross flow manifold and exit at the cross flow exit, which is positioned opposite the cross flow inlet.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of cleaning a lipseal and/or cup bottom of an electroplating device by removing metal deposits accumulated in prior electroplating operations. The methods may include orienting a nozzle such that it is pointed substantially at the inner circular edge of the lipseal and/or cup bottom, and dispensing a stream of cleaning solution from the nozzle such that the stream contacts the inner circular edge of the lipseal and/or cup bottom while they are being rotated, removing metal deposits. In some embodiments, the stream has a velocity component against the rotational direction of the lipseal and/or cup bottom. In some embodiments, the deposits may include a tin/silver alloy. Also disclosed herein are cleaning apparatuses for mounting in electroplating devices and for removing electroplated metal deposits from their lipseals and/or cup bottoms. In some embodiments, the cleaning apparatuses may include a jet nozzle.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for electrowinning a titanium metal from a titanium-containing soluble anode molten salt, and relate to the technical field of nonferrous metallurgy. The method comprises: mixing a titanium-containing material and a carbon-containing reducing agent at a mol ratio of 5:1-1:20 as a raw material, press-molding after uniformly mixing, holding a temperature range of 1000° C.-2000° C. under a nitrogen-containing atmosphere, reacting for 30-600 min; preparing a titanium-containing compound with a good electrical conductivity; and then electrowinning a titanium metal in a halide molten salt of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal by using such a titanium-containing compound as an anode. The method for electrowinning a titanium metal from a titanium-containing soluble anode molten salt, provided by the present invention, is a simple in process and low in energy consumption, and can realize industrialized preparation of a high-purity titanium metal.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for electrorefining high-purity materials, for example, silicon. An exemplary system includes at least one cathode, an anode, and a reference electrode. At least one controller, for example a potentiostat, is used to control the potential difference between a reference electrode and a cathode or anode. The system can be operated in a single phase or multiple phase operation to produce high-purity materials, such as solar-grade silicon.

Abstract: Electroplating techniques including an electroplating system and a method for using the electroplating system are provided. The electroplating system has: an electroplating apparatus for electroplating a workpiece, the electroplating apparatus has an electroplating tank configured to contain a solution including target organics; a first reservoir configured to receive the solution including the target organics from the electroplating tank, and to hold the solution including the target organics; a foaming mechanism configured to, in the first reservoir, separate the target organics from the solution through foaming action such that the solution with a reduced concentration of the target organics is separated from a foam including the separated target organics; and a diverting mechanism configured to selectively feed the solution with the reduced concentration of the target organics to one of the first reservoir and the electroplating tank of the electroplating apparatus.

Abstract: An integrated device for wastewater purification, comprising a coagulation zone; a flocculation zone connected to and in fluid communication with the coagulation zone; a flotation zone connected to and in fluid communication with the flocculation zone and comprising a froth discharge port; and a separation zone below and in fluid communication with the flotation zone and comprising a contaminant separator and a purified wastewater discharge port; the wastewater entering the device being mixed with electrolytically-generated coagulants and gas bubbles in the coagulation zone; the flocculation zone receiving and gently mixes coagulated wastewater contaminants and gas bubbles formed in the coagulation zone and aggregating them into flocs before flotation of buoyant flocs in the flotation zone and the separation zone being adapted for further floc formation, oil coalescence, settling and discharge of non-buoyant contaminants.

Abstract: An electrical brush plating system and method for metal parts wherein a motion control member and a plating bath with a plating pen includes an anode member provided with an anode plate and bristles that are mounted on the motion control member. A part to be plated is disposed within the plating bath with the bristles provided towards the surface of the part to be plated and under the control of the motion control member, the bristles perform a relative friction motion with the surface of the part to be plated. During the relative friction motion, the surface of the part to be plated is opposite to the anode plate of the anode member. The method includes the steps of mounting the plating pen and the part to be plated; electrocleaning; strong activation; weak activation and electrical brush plating. The generation of pinholes, pits and nodules are avoided.

Abstract: A method for balancing a rotatable component is disclosed This method comprises and then plating the component to deposit a metal layer onto the component until the component is balanced. In addition, and alternative method for balancing a rotatable component is disclosed. This method comprises attaching a balancing weight to the rotatable component and rotating the component. This is followed by plating the component and the balancing weight to deposit a metal layer onto the balancing weight and the component until the component is balanced.

Abstract: The invention discloses a parallel jet electrolytic process, wherein an electrolyte after being pressurized is jetted in parallel from a position at the bottom and near a surface of a cathode at a rate of 0.5-2.5 m/s into a gap between the cathode and an anode. During the production process, the pressurized electrolyte is jetted in parallel along the surface of the cathode, and the electrolyte flows from bottom to top at the cathode side and moves from top to bottom at the anode side simultaneously, which thus achieves a side cutting function on the cathode and the anode; and the side cutting flow of the electrolyte from top to bottom at the anode is able to greatly increase the settling rate of the anode slime and avoid its adhesion to the anode to form an anode slime layer. The invention also provides a parallel jet electrolytic device.

Abstract: Provided are a cylinder plating apparatus and a cylinder plating method, in which the distance between an insoluble electrode and a cylinder to be processed can be kept constant regardless of the diameter of the cylinder to be processed, and the surface area of the insoluble electrode is increased to reduce the current density of the insoluble electrode, thereby being capable of reducing burden on the insoluble electrode. The cylinder plating apparatus is configured to plate an outer peripheral surface of the cylinder to be processed in such a manner that a pair of the insoluble electrodes each having a shape in which at least a lower part thereof is curved inward and being constructed such that at least the lower part has a comb-like portion are brought close to both side surfaces of the cylinder to be processed with predetermined intervals.

Abstract: Disclosed are electrodeposition systems and methods wherein at least three electrodes are placed in a container containing a plating solution. The electrodes are connected to a polarity-switching unit and include a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode. The polarity-switching unit establishes a constant polarity state between the first and second electrodes in the solution during an active plating mode, wherein the first electrode has a negative polarity and the second electrode has a positive polarity, thereby allowing a plated layer to form on a workpiece at the first electrode. The polarity-switching unit further establishes an oscillating polarity state between the second and third electrodes during a non-plating mode (i.e.

Abstract: A system for controlling the operation of apparatus for electroplating semiconductor substrates includes operating in a high mode of operation in which an off-the-shelf power supply provides current or voltage that is directly used to produce the channel control signal and in a low mode of operation in which the off-the-shelf power supply biases a circuit that provides a current or voltage to produce the channel control signal.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a spacer structure that is configured to be disposed between a pair of electrodes in a capacitive deionization apparatus so as to provide a space for flowing a fluid therethrough. The spacer structure includes a copolymer prepared by copolymerizing a mixture of a polyurethane backbone including a carboxyl group or a sulfonic acid group, an ion conductive monomer including a carboxyl group and a cation exchange group, and a second polymer including a functional group that reacts with the carboxyl group or sulfonic acid group and forms a cross-linking bond with the polyurethane backbone.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for plating a metal onto a work piece are described. In one aspect, an apparatus includes a plating chamber, a substrate holder, an anode chamber housing an anode, an ionically resistive ionically permeable element positioned between a substrate and the anode chamber during electroplating, an auxiliary cathode located between the anode and the ionically resistive ionically permeable element, and an insulating shield with an opening in its central region. The insulating shield may be movable with respect to the ionically resistive ionically permeable element to vary a distance between the shield and the ionically resistive ionically permeable element during electroplating.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically generating a metal-containing electrolyte (e.g., an electrolyte containing Sn2+ ions and an acid) includes an anolyte chamber configured to house an active anode (e.g., a metallic tin anode), an anolyte, and a sensor (e.g., one or more sensors) measuring a concentration of metal ions in the anolyte; a catholyte chamber configured to house a hydrogen-generating cathode and a catholyte; and a controller having program instructions for processing data from the sensor and for automatically generating an electrolyte having metal ions in a target concentration range in the anolyte chamber. In some embodiments, the apparatus is in communication with an electroplating apparatus and is capable to deliver the generated electrolyte to the electroplating apparatus on demand. In some embodiments, a densitometer and a conductivity meter are together used as sensors, and the apparatus is configured to generate low alpha tin electrolyte containing an acid.

Abstract: A method for coating a substrate includes disposing a deposition composition in a container. The deposition composition includes a plurality of nanosheets and a metal material. The method also includes disposing a substrate in the container, contacting the substrate with the deposition composition, applying a voltage to the substrate, electrodepositing, on the substrate, a coating that includes a metal from metal ions and the nanosheets in response to biasing the substrate at the first potential.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a gravity-fed blood purifier device for removing waste particles from blood. In one embodiment, the blood purifier device includes a pair of end plates and a first cylindrical tube located between the end plates. The blood purifier device also includes a porous tube contained within the space defined by the first cylindrical tube. An inlet provides unpurified red blood cells into blood purifier device. An electrode generates a negative potential across the porous tube to repel red blood cells so that the waste particles pass through the porous tube and the red blood cells do not. An outlet can be coupled to one of the end plates to receive the purified red blood cells.

Abstract: A process to extract metal ions and potentially other hazardous species present in solution to levels low enough to make it suitable for use and/or to quantify the levels of these contaminants in the solution. The process involves the use of functionalized magnetic particles to bind with metal ions. The process occurs in a three-chambered cell and utilizes a magnet to agglomerate the magnetic particles bound with metal ions to an electrode, and by altering the pH of the solution within the cell using gases produced by a solid state electrolyzer or from the air, encourages the plating of the metal ions on the electrode and the pushing out of the metal-free solution out of the cell.

Abstract: In order to provide a coating facility for coating workpieces, which includes a dip tank, into which the workpieces are introducible in order to coat them, a current conversion system for providing a coating current, which is feedable through the dip tank to coat the workpieces, and an electrode, which is configured to be arranged in the dip tank and which is electrically connected to the current conversion system, which coating facility is configured to be flexibly and reliably operated, it is proposed that the current conversion system comprises a current conversion unit, which includes a power switch and an isolating transformer, the power switch being connectable on the input side to a supply current source and being connected on the output side to the isolating transformer and the isolating transformer being connected on the input side to the power switch and on the output side to an electrode.

Abstract: The disclosed manufacturing method of titanium oxide electrode comprises: preparing starting materials for titanium oxide, heat-treating the starting materials of titanium oxide, and electro-reducing the heat-treated starting materials of titanium oxide. According to this method, an anode having excellent active oxygen species production efficiency and excellent electrical properties can be manufactured using inexpensive titanium oxide.