Oxidation of two-phase Co-54.86 wt.% Cu alloy at 700?1000�C

Abstract

The oxidation in 1 atm of pure oxygen of a binary two-phase Co-Cu alloy has been studied as a simple example of the oxidation behavior of a multiphase alloy. The two-phase alloy oxidizes according to a parabolic rate law to a good approximation throughout the entire exposure period over the temperature range 700–1000°C with an oxidation rate constant greater than that for pure cobalt in the whole temperature range, and greater than that for pure copper at 900–1000°C, but lower below 900°C. The scale presents essentially the same type of layered structure at all the temperatures investigated, with an outer region composed of copper oxides, while cobalt is preferentially accumulated in the inner region of the scale, mainly in the form of CoO. A subscale formed by internal oxidation of the particles of the Co-rich phase is also present. The observed increase of the oxidation rate of the alloy in comparison with pure cobalt is attributed mainly to the presence of a high concentration of copper dissolved in CoO in the form of monovalent ions, which produces a significant modification of the concentration of defects of cobalt oxide with a consequent increase of the oxidation rate constant of the alloy if a suitable model for the defect structure of pure CoO is considered, which takes into account also the presence of a small concentration of interstitial metal ions.