Chemical state investigation of grain boundary segregated sulfur in polycrystalline nickel

Journal Article · Thu Dec 01 00:00:00 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), Vol. 17:12
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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