Effect of oxygen partial pressure on oxidation behavior of ferritic stainless steel AISI 441 at high temperatures

Abstract In this investigation the oxidation behavior of AISI 441 stainless steel (SS) in the range from 850 °C to 950 °C was determined during 50 h in two different atmospheres: (a) synthetic air in a tubular oven; (b) argon with 1 ppm of O 2 in a thermal balance. The oxidation kinetics was determined from the measured mass change as a function of oxidation time. Examination of the microstructure of the oxides and determination of their chemical composition were performed by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and glancing angle X-ray diffraction (GAXRD). Chemical analyses showed that films formed on the AISI 441 steel surface consisted mostly of chromium oxide but manganese, iron, titanium and silicon oxides were found in the oxidized layer. In synthetic air, the steel oxidation rate increased gradually as the temperature increased, but in the argon atmosphere with 1 ppm of oxygen, the highest oxidation rate was observed at 900 °C and the lowest at 950 °C.