Effect of a grain-refined microalloyed steel substrate on the formation mechanism of a tight oxide scale

Authors

Xianglong Yu, University of WollongongFollow
Zhengyi Jiang, University of WollongongFollow
Jingwei Zhao, University of WollongongFollow
Dongbin Wei, University of Technology SydneyFollow
Cunlong Zhou, University of Science and TechnologyFollow
Qingxue Huang, Taiyuan University of Science and Technology

RIS ID

89813

Publication Details

Yu, X., Jiang, Z., Zhao, J., Wei, D., Zhou, C. & Huang, Q. (2014). Effect of a grain-refined microalloyed steel substrate on the formation mechanism of a tight oxide scale. Corrosion Science, 85 115-125.

Abstract

The formation mechanism of tight oxide scale on the microalloyed steel was investigated at temperatures of 550-850 °C in dry air. Microstructural characterisations reveal that the spallation of oxide scale dominates at the centre of coarse grains on the oxidation initiation. The fine-grained steel improves the adhesive properties of oxide scale by enhanced grain-boundary diffusion. The lower activation energy and higher oxidation rate accelerate cation/anion migration along grain boundaries, leading to high magnetite content in the oxide scale. The approach by grain refinement at initial oxidation has been proposed to generate the pickle-free tight oxide scale.