The patented
FARADAYIC® Process is
based on programmable, rapidly modulated, electric
fields enabling simple, easily controlled,
electrically-mediated process control vs. conventional
use of exotic, toxic, proprietary additive chemistry, or
chemical mediation. The practice of chemical mediation
has been used since Michael Faraday developed the laws
of electrolysis in the 19th Century, enabling an entire
industry to evolve based on electrochemical “art”
and the use of “magic chemical additives” rather
than a practical understanding of the power of the
electric field. The observed need for this practical
understanding of the electric field was the genesis for
founding Faraday Technology, Inc. in 1991 and has been
the basis for the development of the FARADAYIC®
Process.
Applications for electrochemical reactions are almost
endless. Batteries and electroplating are among the most
common examples, but since the middle of the twentieth
century, electrochemistry has also played an
increasingly dominant role in a vast number of research
and applied areas, such as the study of new organic and
inorganic compounds, and biological systems. Other areas
include fabrication of objects at the microscopic scale,
electrochemical machining, environmental remediation of
soil and water, accurate analysis of chemical
impurities, understanding and prevention of corrosion of
materials, conversion of chemical energy into
electricity, biomedical separations, and nanotechnology.
The following publications give the reader an
introduction to the FARADAYIC®
Process.
DRAFT Chapter - Breaking the Chemical Paradigm in
Electrochemical Engineering
JASF 2008 - Blum Award
P&SF
2003 - Faraday Cover Article
Les
Nouvelles 2001 - Innovation Case Study at an
R&D Company
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| Electrochemical
reactions present many advantages. They have very
few kinetic limitations and are specific to the
chemistry and electric field. Performing the
electrochemical operation as a process (i.e. a
sequence of steps) has enabled engineers to
increase the level of complexity of processed
parts. For electrochemical operations that combine
DC current or voltage and a chemical bath, the
composition of the bath is the main parameter and
is tuned by the addition of chemical products in
order to achieve the desired characteristics of
the processed part. Such operations are very
sensitive to even small amounts of chemical
additives. Recently, pulse waves and reverse pulse
waves have replaced DC current in some
applications, thus providing a wider range of
process parameters to achieve the desired results.
In other words, it is now possible to think in
terms of electrical mediation instead of chemical
mediation. Trading electrical mediation for chemical
mediation provides many benefits, from quality of
final product to reduction of time, cost and
capital investment. Electrically mediated
processes are indeed simpler, cleaner, more
controllable and more robust than chemical
processes. One important benefit is the ability to
process smaller feature size of parts. This makes
electrical mediation especially attractive for the
nanotechnology and semiconductor industries.
Faraday has demonstrated that it is possible to
replace chemical mediation with electrical
mediation for a variety of electrochemical
engineering applications. Faraday always begins
process development by designing the waveform
parameters in a simple chemistry. If chemical
additives are required to complement the
electrical mediation, they will be added in the
latter stages of process development. The function
of chemical additives and wave sequences can
conflict with or complement each other. Faraday
works to understand the impact of each, and design
a total electrochemical solution that best suits
the needs of the client. In this way, the
FARADAYIC® Process is inherently
environmentally-benign, as the use of electrical
mediation can help to avoid some of the
historically toxic chemical additives used in
prior electrochemical processes.
Faraday’s unique expertise in the effect of
each waveform has enabled the development of the
FARADAYIC® Process, which consists of the design of
appropriate waveform characteristics and
sequencing in order to perform various
electromechanical operations using electrical
mediation. Just as there are infinite combinations
of height, width, and length to obtain a given
volume, in electrically mediated processes there
are unlimited combinations of peak current density
or voltage, duty cycles, and frequencies to obtain
a given average current density or voltage. These
additional parameters provide the potential for
much greater process / product control versus
chemically mediated processes.
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| All electrochemical
processes MUST be built upon a foundation of good
primary (geometric) current distribution and
uniform flow of electrolyte across the surface of
the part. Both chemically and electrically
mediated electrochemical processes cannot overcome
bad primary current distribution, as their
influence on the total current distribution is
less than that of primary current distribution.
Consequently, Faraday focuses on good
electrochemical cell design to deploy the
FARADAYIC® Process. Furthermore, some of
Faraday’s clients have successfully deployed
Faraday’s customized hardware designs for their
current DC electrochemical processes.
Primary current distribution is dependent on
the cell geometry and the uniformity of flow
across the surface of the part. These can be
achieved in a number of ways, some more effective
than others:
- Agitation
- Anode/Cathode Spacing
- Anode Design
- Yields Process Uniformity
Secondary and tertiary current distribution is
governed by process parameters:
- Waveform Parameters
- Chemistry
- Temperature
- Boundary Layer Thickness
- Control of Throwing Power
Faraday utilizes a number of concepts to
achieve true uniform hydrodynamic flow across a
part, with excellent current distribution through
design of the cathode to anode configuration.
These concepts include eductor flow directed by
shaped guides, adjustable cathode to anode
distance, and a virtual electrode.
By coupling the FARADAYIC® Process with the
innovative equipment designed and built by
Faraday, a total manufacturing solution can be
achieved.
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Precision process control with
electrochemistry!
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Forget the chemicals and eliminate the
expenses of waste disposal!
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