Enhancing Corrosion Resistance of Copper By Electrodeposition

Enhancing corrosion resistance of copper is often associated with the presence of cuprous oxide (Cu2O) films on the substrate. The electrodeposition method is considered cost-effective due to its simple operation, high production rate and capability to handle complex geometry. The present paper describes electrodeposition process of pure copper using 10%H2SO4 as an electrolyte solution and the voltage was 5 V for different times in an electrochemical cell. Gelatin or Dimethoxymethane additives were applied to enhance the surface adhesion of the electrodeposited layer. In addition, a calcination process (heating at 250 ˚C for 30 min) was performed to impart advanced surface properties. The surface of electrodeposited samples in different conditions was investigated by means of X-ray diffraction. Contact angle measurements were carried out at ambient temperature utilizing 5 μ-liter double distilled water droplets. Moreover, the electrochemical corrosion behavior was studied in 3% NaCl solution. Good adhesion property and the lowest corrosion rate were observed at 10% wt. H2SO4 with 10 ppm Gelatin followed by calcination. The results showed that a super hydrophobic film (Cu2O) with a high contact angle of about 162° and the lowest corrosion rate was 0.7 mpy, obtained after electrodeposited 10 min. The XRD analysis showed that the crystalline size of Cu2O was about 80 nm.