XPS study of the room temperature surface oxidation of zirconium and its binary alloys with tin, chromium and iron

Abstract

Surface oxidation of pure zirconium and its dilute binary alloys with tin, chromium and iron has been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy with a view to comparing their oxidation behaviour at room temperature. Mostly suboxides of zirconium are formed during the initial stages of oxidation at oxygen exposures < 10 L, while at higher exposures ZrO₂ is the dominant oxide species formed together with two suboxides. The relative XPS intensity of these two suboxides shows a broad and weak maximum in the exposure range 20-30 L. Pure zirconium as well as its dilute alloys exhibit a decreasing rate of oxidation with increasing oxygen exposures. No significant difference is observed in the surface oxidation behaviour of pure zirconium and its dilute binary alloys at room temperature.