An XPS study of the surfaces on Fe-Cr, Fe-Co and Fe-Ni alloys after mechanical polishing

Abstract

Using an XPS technique, the composition and thickness of the surface film and the composition of the underlying alloy surface on Fe-Cr, Fe-Co and Fe-Ni alloys were studied after polishing with silicon carbide paper in trichloro-ethylene and cyclohexane. The compositions of the underlying alloy surface after polishing were almost the same as those of the bulk alloys but the film compositions depended on the alloying addition and environment during polishing. The cationic fractions in the surface films on the Fc-Cr alloys polished in both solvents were almost the same as the corresponding atomic fractions of the bulk alloys. In contrast, iron ions were apt to be concentrated in the surface films on the Fe-Co and Fe-Ni alloys, and the weights of nickel ions were different in the surface films on the Fe-Ni alloys polished in different solvents. Chloride ions were found in the surface films due to the reaction of the metal surface with trichloro-ethylene. The amount of chloride ions was particularly large in the surface films on the Fe-Ni alloys. Heating the alloy specimens under the vacuum of the spectrometer resulted in almost complete reduction of the surface films on the Fe-Co and Fe-Ni alloys, and in the change in the compositions of all alloy surfaces.