A Quantitative Study of Nucleation and Growth of Copper I—Oxide on Copper Single Crystals

Abstract

A microgravimetric study shows that the rate of oxidation of the (100) face of copper is convenient for the observation of the different steps of the process: induction, nucleation, and growth of the oxide particles. The rate of those steps and the number of nuclei depend upon crystallographic orientation of the metal, temperature of reaction, and pressure of oxygen. Sticking probabilities and activation energies of the different steps have been determined. Our results show under which conditions Rhead's theoretical scheme founded on surface diffusion remains valid.