# US 9,752,242 B2 · Leveling additives for electrodeposition > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,752,242 B2 - Document ID: US9752242B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/489,107 - Filed: 2014-09-17 - Published: 2016-03-17 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-17 - Assignees: Xtalic Corporation - Applicants: Xtalic Corporation - Inventors: Joshua Garth Abbott; Evgeniya Freydina - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9752242B2 ## CPC - C25D 3/44: Aluminium - C25C 3/06: of aluminium - C25D 3/56: of alloys - C25D 3/665: {from ionic liquids} - C25D 5/18: Electroplating using modulated, pulsed or reversing current - C25D 5/611: {Smooth layers} - C25D 5/627: {Electroplating characterised by the visual appearance of the layers, e.g. colour, brightness or mat appearance} - C25D 21/14: Controlled addition of electrolyte components - C25D 21/18: of electrolytes (C25D21/22 takes precedence) - C25D: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR - C25C: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION, RECOVERY OR REFINING OF METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR ## Abstract Leveling additives, their use in electrodeposition, and regeneration are described. In one embodiment, an electrodeposition bath may include a non-aqueous liquid and an optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon. The optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon may be protonated. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrodeposition bath comprising: a non-aqueous liquid, wherein the non-aqueous liquid is an ionic liquid; and an optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon, wherein the optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon is protonated. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrodeposition bath of claim 1, wherein the optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon includes at least one of 4-tertbutyltoluene, 4-isopropyltoluene, 1,4-diisopropylbenzene, mesitylene, 1,2,4,5-tetramethylbenzene, 1,2,3,5-tetramethylbenzene, pentamethylbenzene, hexamethylbenzene, tertbutylbenzene, 1,3,5-tritertbutylbenzene, 3,5-ditertbutyltoluene, benzethonium chloride, anthracene, 9,10-dimethylanthracene, 2-methylanthracene, 9-ethylanthracene, 1,2-benzanthracene, acenaphthene, naphthacene, pyrene, 3,4-benzopyrene, perylene, polystyrene, 4-tertbutylpolystyrene, and polyethoxylated alkyl phenols. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electrodeposition bath of claim 1, wherein the optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon has a concentration in the electrodeposition bath between or equal to about 0.5 weight percent and 10 weight percent relative to the non-aqueous liquid. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electrodeposition bath of claim 1, wherein a substituent of the optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon includes at least one of an alkyl, aryl, and polyalkoxy chain. ### Claim 5 A method comprising: electrodepositing a material in an electrodeposition bath, wherein the electrodeposition bath includes a non-aqueous liquid and an optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon, and wherein the non-aqueous liquid is an ionic liquid and the optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon is protonated. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon has a concentration in the electrodeposition bath between or equal to about 0.5 weight percent and 10 weight percent relative to the non-aqueous liquid. ### Claim 7 A method for preparing an electrodeposition bath with a leveling additive, the method comprising: adding an optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon to a non-aqueous liquid, wherein the non-aqueous liquid is an ionic liquid; and protonating the optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon in the non-aqueous liquid. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the optionally substituted basic aromatic hydrocarbon has a concentration in the electrodeposition bath between or equal to about 0.5 weight percent and 10 weight percent relative to the non-aqueous liquid. ### Claim 9 A method comprising: adding protons to an electrodeposition bath including a non-aqueous liquid and an optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon, wherein the non-aqueous liquid is an ionic liquid, and wherein the protons react with the optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon to form an optionally substituted protonated aromatic hydrocarbon. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein adding protons to the electrodeposition bath includes adding an acid to the electrodeposition bath. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the acid includes at least one of hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide, and hydrogen iodide. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein adding protons to the electrodeposition bath includes further adding hydroxyl groups to the bath. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein adding hydroxyl groups to the bath includes adding at least one of water, a hydrate, alumina, silica, and cellulose. ### Claim 14 A method for reducing the acidity of an electrodeposition bath, the method comprising: adding an optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon to a non-aqueous liquid, wherein the non-aqueous liquid is an ionic liquid, and, wherein the optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon reacts with one or more protons in the electrodeposition bath to form an optionally substituted protonated aromatic hydrocarbon. ### Claim 15 An electrodeposition system comprising: an electrodeposition bath including a non-aqueous liquid, wherein the non-aqueous liquid is an ionic liquid; and an optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon, wherein the optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon is protonated; an anode at least partially immersed in the electrodeposition bath; and a cathode at least partially immersed in the electrodeposition bath.