Galvanostatic Overpotential Transients and Electrocrystallization Processes on Copper Single Crystals in Solutions of Cupric Sulfate

Abstract

Overpotential transients have been measured on copper single‐crystal surfaces oriented (100), (110), (111), or (321) which were undergoing galvanostatic dissolution or deposition in acidic solutions of . In the current density range below 800 µA cm−2, it is shown that observed overpotential maxima contained both electrocrystallization and charge‐transfer components. Deposited material up to the equivalent of ≈50 atom layers affected subsequent anodic overpotential‐time relationships in a manner related quantitatively to the extent of the deposit. Overvoltage‐current relationships are shown to be insensitive to the densities of steps distributed more or less evenly over the various surfaces, but sensitive to orientation and to arrangements and distributions of steps.