Physicochemical properties of 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolinone−ZnCl2 solvated ionic liquid and its application in zinc electrodeposition

Zinc chloride (ZnCl2) was dissolved in the 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolinone (DMI) solvent, and the metallic zinc coatings were obtained by electrodeposition in room-temperature ambient air. The conductivity (σ), viscosity (η), and density (ρ) of the DMI−ZnCl2 solvated ionic liquid at various temperatures (T) were measured and fitted. Furthermore, cyclic voltammetry was used to study the electrochemical behavior of Zn(II) in the DMI−ZnCl2 solvated ionic liquid, indicating that the reduction of Zn(II) on the tungsten electrode was a one-step two-electron transfer irreversible process. XRD and SEM−EDS analysis of the cathode product confirmed that the deposited coating was metallic zinc. Finally, the effects of deposition potential, temperature and duration on the morphology of zinc coatings were investigated. The results showed that a dense and uniform zinc coating was obtained by potentiostatic electro- deposition at −2 V (vs Pt) and 353 K for 1 h.