Characterization of surface oxides on water-atomized steel powder by XPS/AES depth profiling and nano-scale lateral surface analysis
Journal article, 2013

Characterization of oxide products on the surface of water-atomized steel powder is essential in order to determine the reducing conditions required for their removal during the sintering stage which in turn will result in improved mechanical properties. Pre-alloyed powder with 3 wt% Cr and 0.5 wt% Mo was chosen as the model material. Investigation of the powder surface characteristics with regard to composition, morphology, size and distribution of surface oxides was performed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy and high resolution scanning electron microscopy combined with X-ray microanalysis. The analysis revealed that the powder is covered by a homogeneous (similar to 6 nm thick) Fe-oxide layer to similar to 94% whereas the rest is covered by fine particulate features with the size below 500 nm. These particulates were further analyzed and were divided into three main categories (i) Cr-based oxides with simultaneous presence of nitrogen, (ii) Si-based oxides of "hemispherical" shape and (iii) agglomerates of the afore mentioned oxides.

Water atomized powder

Alloyed sintered steels

Depth profiling

Surface oxides

HR SEM plus EDX analysis

XPS/AES analysis

Surface coverage

Author

Dimitris Chasoglou

Chalmers, Materials and Manufacturing Technology, Surface and Microstructure Engineering

Eduard Hryha

Chalmers, Materials and Manufacturing Technology, Surface and Microstructure Engineering

Mats Norell

Chalmers, Materials and Manufacturing Technology, Surface and Microstructure Engineering

Lars Nyborg

Chalmers, Materials and Manufacturing Technology, Surface and Microstructure Engineering

Applied Surface Science

0169-4332 (ISSN)

Vol. 268 496-506

Driving Forces

Sustainable development

Areas of Advance

Production

Subject Categories

Chemical Sciences

DOI

10.1016/j.apsusc.2012.12.155

More information

Created

10/8/2017