This work investigates oxide formation and growth during copper corrosion in the presence of a continuous flux of γ-radiation. Water radiolysis produces redox active species that can influence the corrosion kinetics on a metal surface. The time evolution of oxide formation on copper metal in contact with a limited water volume was studied as a function of irradiation time and pH by measuring the amount of dissolved copper, and analyzing the morphology and composition of the oxide formed on exposed coupons using different surface analysis techniques. A mechanism for Cu_2O crystal growth by radiolytic oxidation of Cu~0(m) is proposed.
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