In Situ Raman Spectroscopic Investigation of Chromium Surfaces Under Hydrothermal Conditions

Published

August 1, 2001

Author(s)

James E. Maslar, Wilbur S. Hurst, Walter J. Bowers Jr., Jay H. Hendricks, M I. Aquino, Igor Levin

Abstract

Three chromium coupons were exposed to air-saturated water at pressures of ca. 25 MPa and temperatures up to 545 C in an optically accessible flow cell. In situ Raman spectra were collected at different temperatures as the coupons were heated and then cooled. Coupons also were characterized ex situ with Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction. Coupons heated to 374 and 505 C exhibited the same corrosion product, tentatively identified as α-CrOOH that originated as corrosion product released from the optical cell and/or flow system. A coupon heated to 545 C exhibited a variety of Cr^III, mixed chromium valence Cr^III/Cr^VI, and/or Cr^VI species during heating. During cooling, the same corrosion product was observed at all temperatures on this coupon and was tentatively identified as Cr₂O₃ with Cr^VI incorporated into the Cr₂O₃ Cr^III-oxygen network. The difference in observed corrosion processes among the three coupons was attributed to a difference in water quality to which they were exposed.

Citation

Applied Surface Science

Volume

180

Issue

No. 1-2

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

aqueous corrosion, chromium, chromium oxide, hydrothermal oxidation, in situ optical spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy

Citation

Maslar, J. , Hurst, W. , Bowers, W. , Hendricks, J. , Aquino, M. and Levin, I. (2001), In Situ Raman Spectroscopic Investigation of Chromium Surfaces Under Hydrothermal Conditions, Applied Surface Science (Accessed October 11, 2025)