Dependence of oxidation on the surface orientation of tungsten grains

Abstract The surface orientation of crystals has an influence on various material properties, like the oxidation. A method was developed to correlate the oxidation rate for individual single crystal grains with their surface orientation. The surface orientation of many grains of polycrystalline, recrystallized tungsten samples was determined using electron backscatter diffraction. Subsequently, the samples were oxidized in a thermobalance, measuring the time dependent weight increase. The grain dependent oxidation rates were determined by measuring the thickness of the oxide layer for many individual grains with confocal laser scanning microscopy and the scanning electron microscopy on focus ion beam prepared cross-sections. In the temperature range of 720 K to 870 K, tungsten grains with {100} surface orientation have the highest oxidation rate, which is two times higher than the lowest oxidation rate. The lowest oxidation rate belongs to the {111} surfaces orientation, while the {110} surfaces orientation has an intermediated rate. The derived oxidation rates are consistent with gravimetric measurements. They follow an Arrhenius behavior with an activation energy of 190 kJ/mol.