Study of the influence of the microstructure on the corrosion properties of pure copper

Different thermomechanical processes have been used to modify the microstructure of elelctrolytic tough pitch copper (ETP-Cu) in terms of texture, mean grain and grain boundary length fraction. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and linear sweep voltammetry measurements were performed to study the relation between the macroscopic electrochemical behaviour and the microstructure. FE-SEM was used to visualise the surface after the potentiodynamic scans. The results indicate that there is only a small influence of the microstructure on the global electrochemical response of pure copper. The previously reported influence of the crystallographic orientation and grain boundary characteristics on the local corrosion behaviour of pure copper are not clearly reflected in the macroscopic electrochemical response.