Abstract
The effects of 1 at. % of silicon on the oxidation behavior of pure copper at 850°–1000°C and of pure iron at 950°–1200°C have been studied by means of a thermobalance. Silicon has a marked effect on the oxidation of iron but relatively little on that of copper. The distinctive behavior is attributed mainly to the different diffusivities of oxygen in the base metals. The depth of subscale formed in the iron alloy suggests that the diffusivity of oxygen in iron is much faster than is commonly supposed.