Interactions between elemental components during the dealloying of Cu-Zn alloys

Abstract The elemental dissolution of Cu-Zn alloys was investigated as a function of Zn content ranging from 0 to 45 wt%. Atomic emission spectroelectrochemistry (AESEC) was utilized to directly monitor Cu 2+ and Zn 2+ release and oxide growth as function of time during potentiodynamic experiments. It was determined that Cu dissolution undergoes a simultaneous mechanism of Cu 2 O formation and Cu 2+ release. The addition of Zn in Cu-Zn alloy does not measurably change the dissolution mechanism of Cu 2+ and the rate of aqueous Cu 2+ was only dependent on the potential. Zn dissolution was however blocked by the formation of a Cu(0) film which shifted the Zn dissolution in the anodic direction.