VA Application Note V199

Determination of gold(I) in gold

plating baths

The determination of the Au(I) content in gold electroplating baths can be carried out in an alkaline electrolyte directly without sample preparation. The method is suitable for cyanidic gold plating baths as well as for gold sulfite plating
baths. If gold sulfite plating baths have to be analyzed the given [Au(SO3)2]3
complex is transformed to the [Au(CN)2] complex in situ in the measuring vessel. Standard additions have to be made with a solution of the KAu(CN)2 complex. Commercial acidified gold standard solutions for spectroscopy containing
Au3+ cannot be used.

Results
Au in a gold cyanide plating bath

Au in a gold sulfite plating bath

1.6 g/L

12.1 g/L

Me
ethod descript
d
ion
Samp
ple

Analy
ysis

Co
ommercial gold sulfite plating bath

Co
ommercial gold cyanide plating
g bath

ument
Instru
797 VA
A Computrace

Meaasuring solution
n
for gold
g
cyanide
plating baths

7.5 mL KKOH/EDTA elecctrolyte

+ 0.075 ... 0.1 mL sample

Meaasuring solution
n
for gold
g
sulfite platting
bath
hs

CN solution
2 mL KC
+ 0.025 mL sample
+ 10 mLL KOH electrolyte
The ordeer of addition iss
importannt and must no
ot be
changedd.

Parameters

Electrrodes
Workking electrode
(WE)

6.1246.0
020 MME (MulttiMode Ele
ectrode) with
6.1226.0
030 glass capillaary

Referrence electrodee
(RE)

6.0728.0
020 reference e lectrode (Ag
g/AgCl/ c(KCl) = 3
mol/L) with 6.1245.0100
electrolytte vessel filled w
with
intermediate electrolyte
c(KCl) = 3 mol/L

Auxilliary electrode
(AE)

Working electrode

DME

Stirrrer speed

2000 rp m

Mod
de

DP

Initial purge time

300 s

Add
dition purge tim
me

10 s

Equilibration time

5s

Pulsse amplitude

0.05 V

Starrt potential

-0.9 V

End potential

-1.75 V

Volttage step

0.006 V

Volttage step time

0.4 s

Sweeep rate

0.015 V/
V/s

Peak potential Au

-1.45 V

6.0343.0
000 platinum el ectrode

ents
Reage
KCN

Potassium
m cyanide, KCN
N,
analytical grade

KOH

Potassium
m hydroxide, KO
OH,
analytical grade

EDTA
A

Ethylened
diaminetetraaceetic
acid (EDTTA)

VA Application Note V199

Version 1

Solutiions
KCN solution

(KCN) = 1 g/L

KOH electrolyte

c(KOH) = 1.0 mol/L

KOH//EDTA electrolyyte

c(KOH) = 1 mol/L
+ c(EDTA
A) = 0.05 mol/L

Au(I) standard solu-tion

(Au(I)) = 4 g/L
+ c(KCN) = 4 g/L
+ c(KOH) = 0.5 mol/L

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