Digital holographic study of pH effects on anodic dissolution of copper in aqueous chloride electrolytes

Abstract

The anodic dissolution of copper in chloride electrolytes with different pH has been investigated by using polarization measurements and digital holography. In acidic and neutral NaCl solutions, the oxidation processes of copper are almost the same: copper firstly dissolves as cuprous ions, which then produces the CuCl salt layer. The dissolution rate in the acidic solution is a little higher than that in the neutral. However, the mechanism is quite different in the alkaline NaCl solution: copper turns passive easily due to the formation of a relatively stable Cu2 O film which results in pitting, and the dissolution rate of copper decreases before pit initiation.