Abstract
A novel technique has been employed to allow ready detection of fine crystallites, probably of γ-Al2O3, of sizes generally less than 10 nm in thermal oxide films on aluminium. Using this approach, the relationship between the average population density of γ-Al2O3 crystals and oxidation time has been obtained for the first time. Importantly, it has been found that oxidation at temperatures of 515 or 490°C results in fine crystal development almost from the onset of thermal oxidation. Thus, the so-called induction period for the growth of the γ-Al2O3 crystals, determined previously from weight gain data, should now be regarded as the oxidation time required for both the population density and sizes of the crystals to become sufficiently large to cause significant deviation in the weight gain data from the initial inverse logarithmic law describing the growth of the amorphous oxide.
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Shimizu, K., Kobayashi, K., Thompson, G.E. et al. The apparent induction period for γ-Al2O3 development in thermal oxide films on aluminium. Oxid Met 36, 1–13 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00938453
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00938453