The high temperature oxidation of metals

Abstract

The oxidation of metals at high temperatures has been investigated with some thoroughness by Pilling and Bedworth. They found that the metals could be divided into two great classes according to the nature of the oxide produced. If the volume of the oxide is greater than that of the metal from which it was produced an oxide film of compact structure and protective properties will be produced. If the volume of the oxide is less than that of its parent metal a porous oxide is produced which has no protective action whatever. The oxidation of the metals of the first class is controlled by the diffusion of oxygen through the protective film of oxide and the application of the diffusion laws to this process lead us to expect that the oxidation law will be W 2 = K t W 2 = amount of oxygen absorbed t = time K is a constant.