Characterization of Deposited Copper Oxide Films on Copper Substrates
Abstract
The deposition of copper oxide films on copper substrates was investigated by the electrochemical, thermal, and hydrothermal oxidation of copper. The formed oxides were characterized using various surface analytical techniques to determine the film’s morphology, composition, and thickness. The results show that by growing oxides electrochemically, a duplex layer composing of CuO and Cu2O film was formed on the copper surface, having characteristics of being porous and possessing needle-like structures. An oxide film composed of CuO and Cu2O, which shows minimal porosity and possess mixtures of crystalline and non-crystalline structures, is formed on the copper surface by the thermal oxidation of copper. A compact film having thickness in the micrometer range with only Cu2O crystal deposits was achieved by the hydrothermal oxidation of copper. The ultimate goal of this work is to determine how the presence of different types of oxide film will influence the corrosion of copper-coated containers for the safe isolation of used nuclear fuel.