AVS 46th International Symposium
    Applied Surface Science Division Tuesday Sessions
       Session AS-TuM

Paper AS-TuM9
Surface Analysis and Depth Profiles of Self-healing Copper Aluminum Alloys*

Tuesday, October 26, 1999, 11:00 am, Room 6A

Session: Ion Beam Analysis and Depth Profiling
Presenter: J.F. Moore, Argonne National Laboratory
Authors: J.F. Moore, Argonne National Laboratory
W.S. Calaway, Argonne National Laboratory
I.V. Veryovkin, Argonne National Laboratory
M.J. Pellin, Argonne National Laboratory
Correspondent: Click to Email
An investigation of the self-protecting properties of Cu@sub 3+x@Al@sub 1-x@ with ternary components (including small amounts of Ag, Ni, Mg, and Mn) is presented. When these alloys are heat treated, a self-terminated (micron-scale) layer rich in alumina is typically formed. The surface film, in principle, can protect the bulk alloy from chemical attack, for example in a molten salt, while maintaining desirable properties of conductivity and thermal stability. In this way the bulk and surface properties of the alloy may be separately optimized. Further, under these circumstances the film can regenerate if dissolved or damaged by rapid diffusion and oxidation of aluminum at the surface. To understand the properties of the initial thermal oxide, we have undertaken surface and depth profiling studies of these alloys using Auger and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and secondary neutral mass spectrometry. Results show a strong dependence of the surface composition with heat treatment temperature, alloy composition and oxygen environment. Depth profiling indicates a mixed, aluminum-rich oxide with long diffusion lengths for components in the bulk metal. @FootnoteText@ *Work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, BES-Materials Sciences, under Contract W-31-109-ENG-38.