Preparation and characterization of thin oxides films formed at a brass surface oxidized by plasma treatment

The surface of a 90Cu10Zn alloy exposed to a low pressure inductively coupl ed oxygen plasma gives rise to an oxide layer, the composition of which is determined by FTIR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques. The thick ness of the oxide layer depends on the time of exposure to the plasma and o n the distance between the sample and the first high voltage (HV) coil for given primary treatment parameters and on the preparation technique of the samples. (C) 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers.