LOW-TEMPERATURE OXIDATION OF METAL-SURFACES

The natural oxide skin of several nm thickness grown on the particle s urfaces is a severe impurity problem of metallic powders and thin film s. In recent years progress has been made in quantitative determinatio n of the kinetics of this process by novel experimental techniques as well as by model calculations simulating the complex reaction mechanis m of low-temperature oxidation. Typical results of advanced models are presented and a synopsis is given of the present understanding of the phenomena. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.