Correlation between the oxidation mechanism of titanium under a pure oxygen atmosphere,morphology of the oxide scale,and diffusional phenomena

The oxidation behavior of titanium was studied over the temperature range of 600 to 800°C in a pure oxygen atmosphere. A parabolic kinetics period is made up of a succession of short parts whose weight gain is nearly constant and whose beginning is characterized by an alteration of the oxidation rate. The kinetics curve is closely correlated with the morphology of the oxide scale which contains several layers separated by short cracks. These cracks decrease the diffusional flows of oxygen and titanium and alter the oxidation rate. A parabolic-linear kinetics transition is attributed to the formation of a continuous crack between the oxide scale and the matrix. The oxide scale then forms a porous barrier of constant thickness which induces a linear rate law due to the steady-state oxygen diffusion. Titanium cannot diffuse across the continuous crack. During the linear kinetics period several layers of constant thickness, separated by a continuous crack, spread out.