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Keywords
optical aluminum copper sulfate physical science redox dendrites metals |
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(Arizona State University). |
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| This image shows the initial growth
of copper metal dendrites from an aluminum foil (the silvery material).
As the copper dendrites grow, the foil will be corroded away. This
is the result of redox reaction between metallic aluminum and an aqueous
solution of copper (II) sulfate. Note the structure is similar to
that of a tree, fractal-like.
The myriad of shimmering circular objects that blur the image are bubbles of hydrogen gas - the result of a competing redox reaction that involves water. What mechanism(s) cause the dendrite to have enhanced growth at the tip of its branches? More information will be found in the upcoming "It's an Electrochemical World" module on this site. This image was obtained using an optical microscope.
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