MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES OF CHROMIA SCALES

Depth-sensing submicron indentation testing was used to measure the el astic-plastic behavior of sintered chromia and oxide scales formed on pure chromium in air. The use of top-down indentations limited the amo unt and precision of the scale data due to surface roughness and subst rate effects. Nevertheless, results for the hardnesses and elastic mod uli were within the range expected for such oxides. Within experimenta l uncertainty, the mechanical properties of the scales and those of th e corresponding bulk oxide were generally comparable.