KINETICS OF SPONTANEOUS DISSOLUTION OF CU-47.3 ATOM-PERCENT-ZN BRASS WITH HYDROGEN DEPOLARIZATION - AN XPS STUDY OF THE SURFACE-COMPOSITION

With the use of XPS technique surface solid products of spontaneous dissolution of β'-brass in carefully deaerated 2.0 M H2SO4 were studied. The obtained results confirm the presence of hydrogen in the copper lattice as well as strong atomic interactions between copper and hydrogen. It was not determined, however, whether hydrogen occurs in the form of solid or hydride but the latter seems more probable. The presence of hydrogen in the solid products of dissolution undoubtedly prevents formation of more Cu-rich intermediate phases during the spontaneous dissolution of brasses with hydrogen depolarization. During anodic dissolution of brasses such phases are formed because reduction of H+ does not occur. © 1990.