Electrochemical oxidation of the chalcopyrite surface: an XPS and AFM study in solution at pH 4

The electrochemical oxidation of chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) has been studied at pH 4 using voltammetry, coulometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and both ex situ and in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM). Between 500 and 650 mV an anodic oxidation peak is observed, prior to the onset of the main decomposition reactions. Chalcopyrite electrodes in contact with electrolyte show some release of Cu into solution even without an applied potential. At 500 and 650 mV, the loss of Cu from the surface increases by a factor of 2 and 6, respectively. Oxidation at 500 mV results in the formation of a mixed oxide or hydroxide of iron, coincident with islands (<0.15 μm wide) of reaction products observed on the surface using AFM. The surface coverage of these islands increases with amount of charge passed. Oxidation at 650 mV shows similar processes have occurred, but with a greater island surface coverage and a more deeply altered surface. XPS depth profiling suggests iron oxide or hydroxide is now a major phase in the top ∼40 Å, with significant sulphate also formed. Observation of islands (alteration products) using in situ AFM under potential control shows that these features are not an artefact of the preparation methods.