A multimodal approach to revisiting oxidation defects in Cr2O3

R. Auguste; H. L. Chan; E. Romanovskaia; J. Qiu; R. Schoell; M. O. Liedke; M. Butterling; E. Hirschmann; A. G. Attallah; A. Wagner; F. A. Selim; D. Kaoumi; B. P. Uberuaga; P. Hosemann; J. R. Scully

doi:10.1038/s41529-022-00269-7

npj Materials Degradation (Jul 2022)

A multimodal approach to revisiting oxidation defects in Cr2O3

R. Auguste,
H. L. Chan,
E. Romanovskaia,
J. Qiu,
R. Schoell,
M. O. Liedke,
M. Butterling,
E. Hirschmann,
A. G. Attallah,
A. Wagner,
F. A. Selim,
D. Kaoumi,
B. P. Uberuaga,
P. Hosemann,
J. R. Scully

Affiliations

R. Auguste: Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
H. L. Chan: Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Virginia
E. Romanovskaia: Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Virginia
J. Qiu: Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
R. Schoell: Department of Nuclear Engineering, North Carolina State University
M. O. Liedke: Institute of Radiation Physics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf
M. Butterling: Institute of Radiation Physics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf
E. Hirschmann: Institute of Radiation Physics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf
A. G. Attallah: Institute of Radiation Physics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf
A. Wagner: Institute of Radiation Physics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf
F. A. Selim: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Bowling Green State University
D. Kaoumi: Department of Nuclear Engineering, North Carolina State University
B. P. Uberuaga: Materials Science and Technology Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory
P. Hosemann: Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
J. R. Scully: Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Virginia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41529-022-00269-7
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 6, no. 1
pp. 1 – 13

Abstract

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Abstract The oxidation of chromium in air at 700 °C was investigated with a focus on point defect behavior and transport during oxide layer growth. A comprehensive set of characterization techniques targeted characteristics of chromium oxide microstructure and chemical composition analysis. TEM showed that the oxide was thicker with longer oxidation times and that, for the thicker oxides, voids formed at the metal/oxide interface. PAS revealed that the longer the oxidation time, there was an overall reduction in vacancy-type defects, though chromium monovacancies were not found in either case. EIS found that the longer oxidized material was more electrochemically stable and that, while all oxides displayed p-type character, the thicker oxide had an overall lower charge carrier density. Together, the results suggest anion oxygen interstitials and chromium vacancy cluster complexes drive transport in an oxidizing environment at this temperature, providing invaluable insight into the mechanisms that regulate corrosion.

Published in npj Materials Degradation

ISSN: 2397-2106 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Technology: Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering: Materials of engineering and construction. Mechanics of materials
Website: https://www.nature.com/npjmatdeg/

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