Copper Cementation onto Beverage Can Aluminum Alloys

The kinetics of copper cementation on rotating disks of body and tear-top beverage can aluminum alloys were studied as a function of temperature and copper ion concentration. Both alloys followed the two-step kinetic regions, an initially slow rate followed by an enhanced rate. Experimental activation energy determinations (9.04 to 19.62 kJ/mol) indicated that ionic diffusion controlled the reaction mechanism between 20° and 60°C. At low temperatures (< 20°C), the system appeared to be controlled by the presence of an aluminum oxide surface film. The results of this study showed that cementation kinetics for the beverage can aluminum alloys are similar to those for pure aluminum. It was also found that the chemical removal of the oxide layer is less important for the alloys than /or the pure aluminum system. The characteristics of the resultant copper deposits were studied under a scanning electron microscope, and the reaction kinetics seemed to depend strongly on the nature and morphology of the deposits. In addition, maximum rates occurred when the deposit structures were fine feathery dendrites.