Segregation on the Surface of Steels in Heat Treatment and Oxidatio.

Abstract

During annealing of steels different kinds of enrichments are observed on steel surfaces. Equilibrium segregation of a dissolved element leads to 6nrichment in the range of a monolayer, two interacting elements can form two-dimensional compounds by cosegregation and also chemisorption induced segregation leads to monolayer surface compounds. If the concentrations or pressures are exceededwhich are necessary for the formation of three-dimensional bulk compounds,enrichments occur due to surface precipitation resp. oxidation. On the other hand, oxidation can cause segregation or accumulations of dissolved elements beneath the oxide scale.