The influences of citric acid (CA), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and gelatin on the deposition behavior of Bi were systematically investigated through the linear sweep voltammetric (LSV) analysis. Based on the LSV results, deposits plated from a typical solution containing 0.05 M Bi(NO3)(3)center dot 5H(2)O and various combinations of complex agents and additives with pH = 3.5 at 1 and 30 mA cm(-2) were characterized by scanning electron microscopic (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. The adhesion of deposits and the formation of dendrites were respectively improved and inhibited by the adsorption of PEG onto Bi deposits. With adding the above four compounds, a synergistic effect was shown to reach a nano-sized, sphere-like, porous morphology of a Bi deposit at 30 mA cm(-2). The crystal size and morphology of Bi deposits were found to affect the sensing ability of Sn2+ through the square-wave anodic stripping voltammetric (SWASV) analysis. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.