Nature and Mechanism of Formation of Oxide Films in the Chromium–Iron–Carbon System

THE resistance to oxidation at high temperatures of chromized iron and steels makes them in many cases cheap substitutes for stainless steels. In this Department we have investigated the mechanism of formation and subsequent oxidation of chromized coatings on iron and carbon steels1,2, and have reconsidered the mechanism6 for the oxidation of chromium diffusion coatings and alloys in air in the temperature range 800–1,000° C.