Surface oxide dissolution in titanium subhydrides studied by Auger electron spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Abstract

The surface sensitive spectroscopic techniques of Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) have been applied to the study of oxide dissolution of titanium subhydrides. In an earlier study using AES, it was shown that the rate of oxygen dissolution into titanium increased sharply at ~350° C. These data correlated well with physical property measurements that indicated an exothermic reaction was occurring at these temperatures which corresponded to the reaction of free titanium with atmospheric oxygen. In the present study the work has been expanded to include studies of TiH _x (x=1.15, 1.62). It has been found that dissolution of the native oxide on titanium subhydrides occurs at a temperature substantially higher (~ 500° C) than that required for titanium. It appears that the outward diffusion of hydrogen is inhibiting the inward diffusion of oxygen on the subhydride samples at temperatures below 500° C.