The initial oxidation and the native oxidation of the amorphous alloys Zr65
Cu17.5Ni10Al7.5 (henceforth, called the Inoue alloy) and Zr46.75Ti8.25Cu7.5
Ni10Be27.5 (Vitreloy 4 or V4) at mom temperature were studied by X-ray phot
oelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XPS analysis of the oxide films showed th
at the major constituent was Zr(IV) oxide, possibly as ZrO2 along with smal
l amounts of the oxides of Ti, Be (in the alloy V F) and of Al (in Inoue al
loy in the native oxide case) while Cu and Ni in both the alloys were prese
nt in their metallic forms only. The results are explained using the heat o
f formation data and the diffusion behaviour of the alloying elements. (C)
2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.