Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Fractal growth of copper electrodeposits

Abstract

Black dendritic growths of copper were electrodeposited in steady-state diffusion-limited conditions onto an initially point-like cathode. Their spatial extent R was inferred from the increased current and their mass M from the total charge transferred. Fractal behaviour MRD was observed with D = 2.43 ±0.03, in good agreement with computer simulations of diffusion-limited aggregation.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Langer, J. Rev. Mod. Phys. 52, 1–28 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Witten, T. A. & Sander, L. M. Phys. Rev. Lett. 47, 1400–1403 (1981).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Mandelbrot, B. B. The Fractal Geometry of Nature (Freeman, San Francisco, (1977).).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Hausdorff, F. Math. Ann 79, 157–179 (1919).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Meakin, P. Phys. Rev. A27, 604–607, 1495–1507 (1983).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Forrest, S. R. & Witten, T. A. Jr J. Phys. A12, L109–L117 (1979).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. von Smoluchovski, M. Phys. Z. 17, 557–571, 585–599 (1916); Z. Phys. Chem. 92, 129–143 (1917).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Handbook of Chemistry and Physics 60th edn (CRC Press, 1980).

  9. Smithsonian Physical Tables9th edn 398–399 (1954).

  10. Nauenberg, M., Richter, R. & Sander, L. M. Preprint NSF ITP 83-60 (1984).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brady, R., Ball, R. Fractal growth of copper electrodeposits. Nature 309, 225–229 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/309225a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/309225a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing