On the influence of water vapour on the oxidation behaviour of pure Ti

The influence of water vapour on the oxidation behaviour of pure titanium in air at 700 °C and 900 °C was evaluated through thermogravimetric tests. The influence of water vapour during oxidation at 700 °C was small, resulting in slightly higher mass gains in the moist atmosphere. At 900 °C, a multilayered rutil scale was developed from the earliest stages of oxidation. In this case, presence of water resulted in a considerable decrease of the oxidation kinetics. It is proposed that water promotes densification of the innermost part of the rutile layer by increasing rutile creep rate.