High temperature oxidation of chromium: Kinetic modeling and microstructural investigation

Using CALPHAD methods, Cr2O3 growth on pure Cr is modeled using DICTRA and the vacancy model for diffusion. The results are compared with thermobalance and TEM experiments at 625 and 700 degrees C in O-2. The experimental scatter is significant, leading to a compromise suggestion. With the experimental conditions from the furnace exposures in this work, optimized mobilities are validated with a series of oxidation simulations. Despite the complex microstructure and initial growth rate variations, it is possible to reproduce the experimental oxide thicknesses with good accuracy, allowing for extension to multicomponent systems. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.