Book Description
An investigation of the oxidation behaviour and related characteristics of bulk silicides and silicide coatings of molybdenum and tungsten was conducted. The study included (a) the growth kinetics of disilicide coatings, (b) marker experiments to identify diffusing species during disilicide coating formation, (c) a thermochemical analysis of halide enhanced silicon vapor transport during coating processing, (d) the growth rates of intermediate silicides in the MoSi2/Mo and WSi2/W systems using an electron microprobe technique, (e) the microstructure of protective oxide films grown on MoSi2 and the nonprotective oxidation products formed at low temperatures, (f) an analysis of the oxidation process and the resultant chemistry of the oxidation products based on thermochemical and diffusion rate data, (g) an experimental and analytical treatment of oxidation of molybdenum silicides at high temperatures, to 1600C, and reduced oxygen pressures, and (h) a correlation of experimental coating failure times, in normal oxygen atmospheres, with the required time to transform primary disilicide coatings to lower nonprotective silicide phases. (Author).