Abstract
The low-temperature passivation of the oxide growth on iron is studied with the use of digital ellipsometry at a temperature of 300°C and an oxygen pressure from 10–3 to 1 mmHg. The maximum increment in the oxide thickness as a function of the oxygen pressure P a–p is observed in an hour of exposure, which indicates the active–passive transition. This passivity of iron and other metals can be caused by the multilayer and multiphase structure of the oxide film formed. As the oxygen pressure is increased, an external protective hematite layer appears on iron, and the inner quickly growing magnetite layer has no time to reach its limiting thickness. Shortening of the period of a rapid growth of magnetite, which is observed upon the increase in the oxygen pressure at the same exposure, results in the maximum of the summary thickness of the layer at a certain pressure P a–p. Hematite over the magnetite layer is usually formed as laterally spreading islets, the coalescence of which sharply decelerates the oxidation. In the time–pressure–oxide thickness plot, the areas of the low-temperature passivation of iron can be distinguished in wide ranges of temperature and pressure. The electrophysical treatment in the range of the active–passive transition sharply intensifies the oxidation of iron-based alloys and leads to the formation of layers with a substantial thickness and protective ability.
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Kotenev, V.A. To the Low-Temperature Passivity of Iron at the Gaseous Oxidation. Protection of Metals 39, 301–310 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024926927108
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024926927108