XPS characterization of the oxide scale on fully processed non-oriented electrical steel sheet
An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of the surface of fully processed, non-oriented, electrical steel sheet was performed in an attempt to elucidate the chemistry of the complex oxide scale. Ar{sup +} sputtering was used to clean the surface contamination. Not only Fe{sup 2+}, but also Fe{sup 0} states were detected in addition to the Fe{sup 3+} in the top several tens of nanometers of the 1-5-{mu}m-thick complex oxide scales. This reduction of iron was explained as being due to the preferential sputtering of the oxygen atoms from the iron compounds in the Ar{sup +} sputtering process. A fayalite reduction mechanism is proposed to account for the reduction of the iron down to Fe{sup 0}. The results of the study indicate that X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is limited to the determination of thick, complex oxides in multicomponent iron alloys. - Research Highlights: {yields} XPS analysis of the 1-5-{mu}m-thick oxide scales of NO-electrical steel was performed. {yields} Not only Fe{sup 3+} and Fe{sup 2+}, but also Fe{sup 0} were detected in the very subsurface layers. {yields} A fayalite reduction mechanism is proposed for the reduction of the iron to Fe{sup 0}.
- OSTI ID:
- 22066355
- Journal Information:
- Materials Characterization, Vol. 62, Issue 5; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1044-5803
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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