Real time observation of copper corrosion by synchrotron X-ray diffraction

A research team led by Professor A. Adriaens (Ghent University, Belgium) has developed a number of useful techniques based on synchrotron X-ray diffraction to see the growth of synthetic corrosion layers in real time. The observation was done for copper, and the final products were identified as mixtures of nantokite (CuCl), cuprite (Cu₂O), and paratacamite (Cu₂(OH)₃Cl). The team employed a highly sophisticated instrument for growing corrosion using a spin coater, and it could be used for many other similar applications. Experiments were done at both SRS, Daresbury and ESRF, Grenoble. For more information, see the paper, "The Use of Synchrotron X-rays To Observe Copper Corrosion in Real Time ", M. Dowsett et al., Anal. Chem. 84, 4866 (2012).