High-quality rhenium and rhenium alloy coatings through electrodeposition

A method of electrodepositing a rhenium layer on a substrate, the method comprising:

• i) providing an electrodeposition system, wherein the electrodeposition system comprises an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte solution, and a power supply;
• wherein the cathode comprises the substrate to be coated;
• wherein the power supply is connected to the anode and the cathode;
• wherein the anode and the cathode are in the electrolyte solution;
• and wherein the electrolyte solution comprises a rhenium compound, a first salt, and an acid;
• ii) using the power supply to provide electrical power in a waveform to the cathode and the anode;
• wherein the waveform is a pulse waveform or a pulse reverse waveform;
• the pulse waveform comprising a cathodic pulse and a period without current;
• the pulse reverse waveform comprising a cathodic pulse and an anodic pulse,
• thereby electrodepositing a rhenium layer on the substrate;
• wherein
• a) the anodic pulse or the period without a current has a duration from 2-1000 seconds;
• or
• b) the ratio of the duration of the cathodic pulse to the duration of the anodic pulse or the period without a current is from about 1:100 to 1:200,000.