THE STUDY OF SELECTIVE OXIDATION OF COPPER-ALUMINUM ALLOY

The process of selective oxidation of a copper (with 12 at % aluminium) alloy has been studied in the oxygen pressure range 5 × 10-7-5 × 10-4 mbar, where aluminium oxidizes selectively in a wide temperature range 570-970 K, by XPS and AES in combination with argon ion sputtering. It has been demonstrated that the selective oxidation of aluminium results in the formation of uniform thin aluminium oxide on the alloy surface. The kinetics of alloy oxidation obey the parabolic law for all temperatures and pressures. It points to the fact that the mechanism of oxide film formation depends on the oxidation conditions. © 1990 Pergamon Press plc.