Effects of multi-component additives on the microstructure and mechanical performance of HVLP copper foil for high-speed electronic devices

With the emergence of 5th Generation Mobile Communication Technology, the global demand for high volume low pressure (HVLP) copper foil is experiencing continuous growth. In order to obtain HVLP copper foil with excellent performance, it is crucial to reconcile the contradiction between low profile and high peel resistance. Additives play a pivotal role in determining the quality of copper foil. Sodium phenyldithiopropane (BSP), 3,3′-Dithiobis-1-Propanesulfonic Acid Disodium Salt (SPS), Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), and Gelatin are common additives that can function independently or synergistically with each other. Therefore, it is imperative to explore an improved combination of additives that can enhance the electrolysis process of copper foil. This paper investigates a novel multi-component additive formulation using orthogonal experimental design. The effects of composite additive combinations including SPS + HEC + Gelatin (SHG), BSP + HEC + Gelatin (BHG), and BSP + SPS + HEC + Gelatin (BSHG) on the morphology and performance of the coarsening layer in copper foil were examined. Among these combinations, BSHG-5 (20 mg L −1 BSP, 40 mg L −1 SPS, 7 mg L −1 HEC, 20 mg L −1 gelatin) exhibited optimal results. Under this composite additive system, copper particles were uniformly and finely deposited in the coarsened layer, resulting in significantly enhanced peel strength (0.72 N mm −1 ) and favorable surface roughness. Graphical abstract