Quantitative characterization of high temperature oxidation using electron tomography and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy

Year: 2018

Type: article

Abstract: We report quantitative characterization of the high temperature oxidation process by using electron tomography and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. As a proof of principle, we performed 3D imaging of the oxidation layer of a model system (Mo3Si) at nanoscale resolution with elemental specificity and probed the oxidation kinetics as a function of the oxidation time and the elevated temperature. Our tomographic reconstructions provide detailed 3D structural information of the surface oxidation layer of the Mo3Si system, revealing the evolution of oxidation behavior of Mo3Si from early stage to mature stage. Based on the relative rate of oxidation of Mo3Si, the volatilization rate of MoO3 and reactive molecular dynamics simulations, we propose a model to explain the mechanism of the formation of the porous silica structure during the oxidation process of Mo3Si. We expect that this 3D quantitative characterization method can be applied to other material systems to probe their structure-property relationships in different environments.

Source: Scientific Reports

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28348-3

Authors: Jihan Zhou, Matthew Taylor, Georgian A. Melinte, Ashwin J. Shahani, Chamila C. Dharmawardhana, Hendrik Heinz, Peter W. Voorhees, John H. Perepezko, Karen Bustillo, Peter Ercius, Jianwei Miao

Institutions: California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of Michigan, University of Colorado Boulder, Northwestern University, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Molecular Foundry

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications

Subfield: Structural Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,690

Funders: National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, Université de Strasbourg, National Institutes of Health, Office of Science, Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative, Office of Naval Research, National Cancer Institute, Division of Materials Research, Basic Energy Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

OpenAlex ID: W2810113303