The oxidation of cobalt in air from room temperature to 467°C

The oxidation of cobalt in air is investigated for times ranging over three orders of magnitude up to 1000 hr and for temperatures ranging from room temperature up to 467°C. Three different growth processes are observed. When a clean surface is exposed to air at room temperature, an 8–10 Åfilm of Co(OH) ₂ forms in seconds or less. For temperatures of 50–100°C, very little additional film forms for times up to 1000 hr. For temperatures of 100–225°C, a film of CoO grows in a manner which can be described empirically with a fourth root rate law with an activated rate constant. Between 225 and 325°C there is a transition to a quadratic rate law. At 425°C the film appears to be a mixture of CoO and Co ₃O₄.