Investigating Surface Oxide Composition and Formation on Metallic Vibenite® Alloys

Sammanfattning

Oxide formation on metallic surfaces is a common phenomenon which occursnaturally or intently. Depending on the metallic oxide, they can be viewed as either nuisances or conveniences depending on the effects of the oxide. Formed oxides may also potentially smooth surfaces of metallic alloys since a portion of the surface in contact with the oxygen will be converted into the oxide via the metal-oxygeninteraction, leading to a smoother surface underneath the formed oxide. It was found that oxide formation was most significant when metallic Vibenite® alloys were treated at 1000°C for a minimum of 3 hours with an oxygen flow into the oven of 10 L/min. This signifies the importance of a minimum temperature limit as well as an increased oxygen pressure within the oven the samples are being treated in, which concurs with various studies referred to in the report. The oxides were also somewhat successfully identified using analysis methods such as XPS, XRD and Raman spectroscopy with supporting evidence from simulated Thermo-Calc approximations. Thepost-treatment surfaces of the samples, after having their oxide layers removed, were confirmed to have undergone surface smoothing using the optical analysis method of VSI. The results of this report indicate validity in the use of the oxide formation technique for surface smoothing and strongly suggests further study in material optimised heat-treatments for different metallic alloys with the purpose of surface refinement