Oxidation kinetics of Pb–Sn alloys

Abstract

The solid state oxidation kinetics of Pb–Sn single-phase (2.5 at. % Sn) and eutectic alloys were studied with Auger Electron Spectroscopy combined with sputter depth profiling. The single-phase samples were oxidized in air in the temperature range 22 °C to 250 °C, while the eutectic samples were oxidized from 22 °C to 175 °C. Both alloys oxidize logarithmically between 22 °C and 90 °C and parabolically at temperatures greater than 120 °C. The activation energies for the parabolic oxidation of the single-phase and eutectic alloys are 69.5 and 67.1 ± 8 kJ/mole, respectively.