Selective dry oxidation of the ordered Pt-11.1 at.% v alloy surface evidenced by in situ temperature-controlled X-ray diffraction

A temperature-controlled X-ray diffraction study of the cold-rolled Pt-11.1 at.% V alloy was undertaken to gain better insight into the incomplete transformation of the metastable cubic disordered phase into the tetragonal ordered Pt₈V phase, earlier reported by Nxumalo and Lang [11]. This study has revealed a complex behaviour of the alloy when is annealed in primary vacuum. Upon heating above 450 °C, an ordering of vanadium atoms in the Pt-11.1 at.% V alloy leads to the appearance of a tetragonal Pt₈V phase. Concomitantly, vanadium atoms at the surface of the ordered alloy are slowly oxidized into V₂O₃ Corundum type phase by the low oxygen partial pressure existing in primary vacuum. This segregation of vanadium oxide onto the surface depleting the subsurface region in vanadium, an almost pure Pt cubic phase grows at the V₂O₃-ordered Pt ₈V alloy interface with increasing the temperature. This investigation also shows that an external selective oxidation of the cold-rolled Pt-11.1 at.% V alloy takes place when is annealed in flowing argon atmosphere.