Abstract
Single crystal copper electrodes having (100), (110), (111), and (321) orientations, as well as polycrystalline specimens, have been used as electrodes in chloride solutions containing cuprous ions, previously equilibrated with copper metal under a hydrogen atmosphere. Anodic and cathodic over‐voltages as a function of current density have been recorded in the range from 10−7 to 10−3 amp/cm2. Faceting patterns formed by electrolysis at various current densities, as well as those formed by corrosion in nonequilibrated solutions, have been examined, using both the optical microscope and the double‐circle reflection goniometer. In all instances, it has been found that the behavior of (100) oriented surfaces was quite different from that of all other orientations investigated. The overvoltages recorded for (100) electrodes were considerably higher, exhibiting an extremely high of the order of 105 ohm‐cm2. Lower overvoltages were found on the other close‐packed orientations, differences between them being only minor, and the lowest values were exhibited by (321) oriented electrodes.