The Anodic Dissolution of Copper in Flowing Sodium Chloride Solutions Between 25° and 175°C

Abstract

The anodic dissolution of copper in chloride solutions was studied under laboratory conditions up to 101°C and up to 175°C in a specially designed cell that could be flanged into a pump loop. Under all conditions the anodic polarization curves demonstrated Tafel behavior with slopes equal to 2.3 RT/F. The anodic process was under diffusion control with the primary dissolution product being ; no evidence of solid corrosion products was found at the highest current densities employed. The anodic process was independent of pH and between 0.124 to 1.24M Cl⁻ depended on the square of the chloride ion concentration. Loop experiments showed that under fixed conditions the current density was proportional to the 0.8 power of flow velocity. A simple kinetic expression based on the Nernst equation and Fick's first law was derived which was in excellent agreement with the experimental results.