Partial Currents During Anodic Dissolution of Cu-Zn Alloys at Constant Potential

Abstract

The partial currents, and , for anodic dissolution of single phase Cu‐Zn alloys in a sulfate solution are shown for the potential range . The results show the conditions for preferential dissolution of the less noble component and in which potential range transition to simultaneous anodic dissolution takes place. The polarization curve for Zn exhibits a potential region of low, relatively constant current and another region above a certain potential, , where the current increases sharply with potential. increases with increasing Cu content. Copper dissolution is observed only at the higher potentials in accord with its more noble standard potential. These results are in qualitative agreement with the dissolution behavior of Cu from Cu‐Au alloy found by Genscher and Rickert.