Chemical state investigation of grain boundary segregated sulfur in polycrystalline nickel

Journal Article · Wed Nov 30 23:00:00 EST 1983 · Scr. Metall.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0036-9748(83)90366-6· OSTI ID:6270182

Hintz, M B

This paper describes the results of a combined Auger electron spectroscopic (AES) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) study of the intergranular embrittlement of polycrystalline Ni by S. Largely as a result of AES investigations it is accepted that intergranular failure in most metals and alloys is caused by the segregation of impurities and/or alloying elements to the grain boundaries. Ni and many of its alloys are not exceptions. S segregation has been shown to result in embrittlement and enhanced susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement in these materials. While AES has been useful in the detection and identification of segregated species, AES data provide little information on the chemical state of the detected elements. In contrast, XPS can often provide chemical state and chemical bonding information in addition to elemental detection and identification. XPS has been used extensively to characterize the chemical state of adsorbates on free surfaces but it has not been widely applied to the problem of intergranular segregation, due primarily to the lack of lateral resolution of the technique. As intergranular embrittlement mechanisms may be linked to the bonding state of segregated species, XPS analysis of segregated species may help elucidate the mechanisms involved.

• Research Organization: Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan
• OSTI ID: 6270182
• Journal Information: Scr. Metall.; (United States), Journal Name: Scr. Metall.; (United States) Vol. 17:12; ISSN SCRMB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360102 -- Metals & Alloys-- Structure & Phase Studies
360103* -- Metals & Alloys-- Mechanical Properties
AUGER ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
BINDING ENERGY
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMICAL STATE
CORROSION
CORROSIVE EFFECTS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
CRYSTALS
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ELEMENTS
EMBRITTLEMENT
ENERGY
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
GRAIN ORIENTATION
HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT
INTERGRANULAR CORROSION
METALLURGICAL EFFECTS
METALS
MICROSTRUCTURE
NICKEL
NONMETALS
ORIENTATION
POLYCRYSTALS
SEGREGATION
SPECTROSCOPY
SULFUR
SURFACE AREA
SURFACE PROPERTIES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY