Nucleation and Growth of Oxide Particles on Fe-Mn (1 Wt.%) Binary Alloy during Annealing

Abstract

The nucleation and growth of oxides formed on Fe-Mn (1 wt.%) binary alloy during annealing were investigated. The recrystallized samples were heated to 800°C and kept at this temperature for 60 s in N2 / H2 (5 vol.%) with a dew point of-40°C. The heating process was also interrupted at different temperatures, namely 650, 700, 750 and 800°C. The annealed samples were then observed by scanning electron microscopy. Image analysis was performed to obtain the surface density and size of the oxides. The influence of the ferrite grain orientation on the oxides’ nucleation and growth was studied by Electron Back Scattered Diffraction. The annealed Fe-Mn surfaces were covered by oxide crystals whose shape, surface density and size strongly depended on the underlying ferrite grain orientation. The oxides’ nucleation occurred first on Fe {110} grain, their surface density was the largest on Fe {100}, and their size was the largest on Fe {110}.