Mechanism of the Internal Reduction of (Mg, Cu)O

Single crystals of (Mg, Cu)O have been internally reduced to produce metallic copper precipitates inside the oxide matrix. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning transmission electron microscopy investigations of the composite materials yielded information on the morphology and composition of the precipitates and on the orientation relationship between the two phases. The structure of dislocation networks formed during the reaction and the presence of Cu2O particles in short‐time reduction experiments allow the internal reduction of(Mg, Cu)O to be modeled by a two‐step reduction mechanism. Copyright © 1987, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved