Electrochemistry of copper in methanolic solutions: Anodic oxidation and fabrication of hydrophobic surfaces

In the present study, hydrophobic surfaces have been fabricated in a one-step electrochemical process by anodic polarization of copper substrates in methanolic myristic acid solutions at relatively high applied potentials. These solutions have also been modified by the addition of tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate as a supporting electrolyte to improve their electric characteristics and enable the same fabrication in drastically milder working conditions. To elucidate the mechanism through which this fabrication occurs, various techniques, namely cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry, chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, have been employed. The processes taking place during anodic oxidation of copper in methanol are electrodissolution and surface species formation depending on the presence of dissolved oxygen. Current oscillations resulting from the presence of these surface species have also been observed.