Dissolution Kinetics at Dislocation Site of Copper Crystal

A (111) surface of copper crystal was etched anodically under potentiostatic electrolysis in the electrolyte containing small amounts of NaBr and CuCl besides NaCl of high concentration.The vertical and lateral dissolution rates at dislocation sites and the vertical dissolution rate of matrix surface were examined by measuring the variations in depth and width of dislocation etch pits and dissolved depth of matrix surface with etching time, respectively. The effects ofoverpotential, temperature and inhibitor concentration on the dissolution rates are investigated and discussed. It is shown that the dissolution process at the dislocation site of copper crystal can be explained by the two-dimensioal nucleation theory for crystal dissolution