Effect of Temperature on Oxide Formation in Ligand-Deficient Cu|Cu(II), Ethylenediamine System

The influence of temperature on formation of oxide layers on copper electrode in solutions containing 0.01 M Cu(II), 0.005 M ethylenediamine, and 0.3 M K₂SO₄ as a supporting electrolyte at pH 5.3 is investigated. The rate of net process Cu + Cu²⁺ + H₂O Cu₂O + 2H⁺ proceeding under open-circuit conditions is supposedly controlled by interaction between copper electrode and Cu²⁺ aqua-ions. Well-defined voltammetric peak is observed at –0.75 V (SHE), the height of which may serve as a measure of Cu₂O formation rate. An activation energy and a formal rate constant of the process are found to equal 30 kJ mol^–1 and 0.17 s^–1.