Kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of cerium in air at ambient temperature

This paper describes a study of the oxidation of cerium in air at ambient temperature. Specimens were exposed for up to 60 days, during which they were analysed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) at regular intervals. Both XRD and oxide thickness measurements indicate linear oxidation over the duration of this study. Under the conditions employed in this study, the rate of oxide growth has been determined to be 0.1 mu m day(-1). The oxidation process appears to be assisted by extensive cracking in the oxide layer which acts as a non-protective film for the underlying metal. Crown Copyright (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.