Comparative study of the native oxide on 316L stainless steel by XPS and ToF-SIMS

Journal Article · Tue Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 2015 · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, Vacuum, Surfaces and Films

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.4927319· OSTI ID:22479648

Tardio, Sabrina; Abel, Marie-Laure; Castle, James E.; Watts, John F. ^[1]; Carr, Robert H. ^[2]

---

1. Department of Mechanical Engineering Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH (United Kingdom)
2. Huntsman PU, Everslaan 45, B-3078 Everberg (Belgium)

The very thin native oxide film on stainless steel, of the order of 2 nm, is known to be readily modified by immersion in aqueous media. In this paper, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time of flight secondary ions mass spectrometry are employed to investigate the nature of the air-formed film and modification after water emersion. The film is described in terms of oxide, hydroxide, and water content. The preferential dissolution of iron is shown to occur on immersion. It is shown that a water absorbed layer and a hydroxide layer are present above the oxide-like passive film. The concentrations of water and hydroxide appear to be higher in the case of exposure to water. A secure method for the peak fitting of Fe2p and Cr2p XPS spectra of such films on their metallic substrates is described. The importance of XPS survey spectra is underlined and the feasibility of C{sub 60}{sup +} SIMS depth profiling of a thin oxide layer is shown.

• OSTI ID: 22479648
• Journal Information: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, Vacuum, Surfaces and Films, Journal Name: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, Vacuum, Surfaces and Films Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 33; ISSN 0734-2101; ISSN JVTAD6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
42 ENGINEERING
DISSOLUTION
FILMS
HYDROXIDES
ION MICROPROBE ANALYSIS
LAYERS
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
OXIDES
STAINLESS STEEL-316L
SUBSTRATES
WATER
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY