THE OSCILLATORY ELECTRODISSOLUTION OF COPPER IN ACIDIC CHLORIDE SOLUTION .2. 0.3-CHLORIDE AND 0.5M-CHLORIDE

The potentiostatic dissolution of copper in acidic solutions (1N H2SO4) containing 0.3 or 0.5M NaCl is studied. For E ≤ 400 mV (vs. saturated calomel electrode) a thick film of CuCl grows on the electrode, the underlying copper surface is smooth, and the current undergoes several types of chaotic oscillations. For E ≥ 400 mV, a ring of CuCl develops at the perimeter of the electrode and slowly grows inward; the current oscillations in this region are also described. © 1990, The Electrochemical Society, Inc. All rights reserved.