Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Electron microscopy study of the passivating layer on iron-nickel martensite

  • Environmental Interactions
  • Published:
Metallurgical Transactions A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A passivating oxide layer is known to form rapidly on the surface of Fe or Fe alloys exposed to air at low temperature. The properties of this passivating layer largely control the low temperature oxidation and corrosion properties of iron. It is hence important that the nature of this passivating layer be well understood. The work reported here principally involved a transmission electron microscopy examination of the thin oxide film formed on the surface of Fe−12Ni alloys on exposure to air at room temperature. Using high resolution microscopy the oxide particles of the film could be directly resolved and their structure and morphology characterized. The following conclusions were drawn from these characterization studies: 1) a passivating oxide layer (principally Fe3O4) forms spontaneously on the surface of Fe−Ni alloys on exposure to air at room temperature; 2) the orientation relation between the oxide and the metal surface depends on surface orientation; the Bain relation is obeyed when the alloy surface is (100)α while the Nishiyama-Wasserman relation is obeyed on other low index surfaces. This phenomenon is attributable to the need to accommodate the misfit strain between the oxide and the substrate; 3) the oxide layer consists of dispersed, small (∼20Å) oriented particles rather than a continuous thin film; and 4) the size of the oxide particles and the density of their distribution is related to the crystal surface orientation and condition.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. S. Floreen:Met. Rev., 1968, vol. 126, p. 115.

    Google Scholar 

  2. S. Jin, J. W. Morris, Jr., and V. F. Zackay:Met. Trans., 1975, vol. 6A, p. 141.

    Google Scholar 

  3. W. S. Owen, E. A. Wilson, and T. Bell:High Strength Materials, V. F. Zackay, ed., p. 167, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 1965.

    Google Scholar 

  4. J. Kruger and H. T. Yolken:Corrosion, 1964, vol. 20, p. 29.

    Google Scholar 

  5. R. T. Foley:J. Electrochem. Soc. 1962, vol. 109, p. 1202.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. E. Tekin and P. M. Kelly:J. Iron Steel Inst., 1965, vol. 203, p. 715.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. E. Smith:Acta Met., 1966, vol. 14, p. 583.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. W. D. Tomashov:Theory of Corrosion and Protection of Metals, translated and edited by B. H. Tytell, I. Geld, and H. S. Preser, p. 56, p. 81, The Mac-Millan Company Press, New York, 1966.

    Google Scholar 

  9. F. P. Fehlner and N. F. Mott:Oxid. Metals, 1970, vol. 2, p. 59.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. G. Ehlich:1961 Trans. 8th Vacuum Symposium and 2nd International Congress, p. 126, Pergamon Press, New York, 1962.

    Google Scholar 

  11. R. Smoluchowski:Phys. Rev., 1941, vol. 60, p. 611.

    Google Scholar 

  12. M. A. H. Lanyon and B. M. W. Trapnell:Proc. Roy. Soc. Ser. A., 1955, vol. 227, p. 387.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. M. Wyn Roberts:Quart. Rev., 1962, vol. 16, p. 71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. D. D. Eley and P. R. Wilkinson:Proc. Roy. Soc. Ser. A, 1960, vol. 254, p. 327.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. N. F. Mott:Trans. Faraday Soc., 1947, vol. 43, p. 429.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. N. Cabrera and N. F. Mott:Rep. Progr. Phys., 1948–49, vol. 12, p. 163.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. H. Uhlig:Acta Met., 1956, vol. 4, p. 541.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. H. Uhlig, J. Pickett, and J. MacMairn:Acta Met., 1959, vol. 7, p. 111.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. A. U. Seybolt:Advan. Phys., 1963, vol. 12, p. 1.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. D. A. Vermilyea:Acta Met., 1957, vol. 5, p. 492.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. M. Gilletet al: Proc. of the 3rd Reg. Conf. on Electron Microscopy, Prague, p. 379, 1964.

  22. J. B. Wagner, Jr.et al:Trans. TMS-AIME, 1961, vol. 221, p. 257.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. I. A. Manzies and J. Lubkiewicz:Oxid. Metals, 1971, vol. 3, p. 41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. S. R. Keown and D. J. Dyson:J. Iron Steel Inst., 1966, vol. 204, p. 832.

    Google Scholar 

  25. A. T. Davenport:J. Iron Steel Inst., 1968, vol. 206, p. 499.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. E. C. Bain:Trans. AIME, 1924, vol. 60, p. 25.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Z. Nishiyama:Sci. Rep. Tohoku Univ., 1934, vol. 23, p. 638.

    Google Scholar 

  28. G. Wasserman:Arch. Eisenhuettenw., 1933, vol. 16, p. 647.

    Google Scholar 

  29. S. Jin, S. K. Hwang, and J. W. Morris, Jr.:Met. Trans. A, 1975, vol. 6A, p. 1721.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. K. W. Andrews, D. J. Dyson, and S. R. Keown:Interpretation of Electron Diffraction Patterns, pp. 146–47, Plenum Press, New York, 1967.

    Google Scholar 

  31. G. Thomas, W. L. Bell, and H. M. Otte:Phys. Status Solidi, 1965, vol. 12, p. 353.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. P. B. Hirschet al.:Electron Microscopy of Thin Crystals, Butterworth, London, 1965.

    Google Scholar 

  33. E. Rideal and O. Wansbrough Jones:Proc. Roy. Soc., 1929, vol. 123A, p. 202.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. G. Ehlich:J. Chem. Phys., 1959, vol. 31, p. 1111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, R. C. Weast, ed., 5th ed., CRC Press, 1973–74.

  36. D. Brennan, D. O. Hayward, and B. M. W. Trapnell:Proc. Roy. Soc., 1960, vol. A256, p. 81.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. J. Bagg and F. C. Tompkins:Trans. Faraday Soc., 1955, vol. 51, p. 1071.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. M. J. Brabers and C. E. Birchenall:Corrosion, 1958, vol. 14, p. 33.

    Google Scholar 

  39. M. S. Wechsler, D. S. Lieberman, and T. A. Read:Trans. AIME, 1953, vol. 197, p. 1503.

    Google Scholar 

  40. B. Chattupadhyay and G. C. Wood:Oxid. Metals, 1970, vol. 2, p. 373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. D. L. Douglass:Oxid. Metals, 1969, vol. 1, p. 127.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, 94720, Berkeley, CA

    Sheree H. Chen (Graduate Student/Research Assistant) & J. W. Morris (Associate Professor)

Authors
  1. Sheree H. Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. W. Morris
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chen, S.H., Morris, J.W. Electron microscopy study of the passivating layer on iron-nickel martensite. Metall Trans A 8, 19–26 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02677259

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02677259

Keywords

Search

Navigation