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In situ observation of temperature-dependent atomistic and mesoscale oxidation mechanisms of aluminum nanoparticles

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Abstract

Oxidation is a universal process causing metals’ corrosion and degradation. While intensive researches have been conducted for decades, the detailed atomistic and mesoscale mechanisms of metal oxidation are still not well understood. Here using in situ environmental transmission electron microscopy (E-TEM) with atomic resolution, we revealed systematically the oxidation mechanisms of aluminum from ambient temperature to ~ 600 °C. It was found that an amorphous oxide layer formed readily once Al was exposed to air at room temperature. At ~ 150 °C, triangle-shaped Al2O3 lamellas grew selectively on gas/solid (oxygen/amorphous oxide layer) interface, however, the thickness of the oxide layer slowly increased mainly due to the inward diffusion of oxygen. As the temperature further increased, partial amorphous-to-crystallization transition was observed on the amorphous oxide film, resulting in the formation of highly dense nano-cracks in the oxide layer. At ~ 600 °C, fast oxidation process was observed. Lamellas grew into terraces on the oxide/gas interface, indicating that the high temperature oxidation is controlled by the outward diffusion of Al. Single or double/multi-layers of oxide nucleated at the corners of the terraces, forming dense γ’-Al2O3, which is a metastable oxide structure but may be stabilized at nanoscale.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Chinese 1000-Youth-Talent Plan (for Q. Y.), 111 project (No. B16042), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51671168) and the State Key Program for Basic Research in China (No. 2015CB65930).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Electron Microscopy and State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China

    Jing Gao, Jingyuan Yan, Beikai Zhao, Ze Zhang & Qian Yu

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  1. Jing Gao
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  2. Jingyuan Yan
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  3. Beikai Zhao
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  4. Ze Zhang
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  5. Qian Yu
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Correspondence to Qian Yu.

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Gao, J., Yan, J., Zhao, B. et al. In situ observation of temperature-dependent atomistic and mesoscale oxidation mechanisms of aluminum nanoparticles. Nano Res. 13, 183–187 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-019-2593-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-019-2593-3

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