Selective oxidation of Fe-Si binary alloy

The present study will focus on the formation of the oxide particles formed during continuous annealing. Seven binaryFe-Si alloys (with a Si content from 0.03 to 0.5 wt.%) were chosen for the study. The samples were annealed by means ofa laboratory furnace with a temperature profile relevant to galvanizing line practice. The selective oxide particles werethen characterized using several analysis techniques (field emission gun scanning electron microscope, transmissionelectron microscope and electron diffraction, optical surface profiler). Image analysis was used to obtain the geometricparameters that characterize oxide particles in two dimensions (e.g., oxides’ surface density, Feret diameter).Si diffuses towards the surface where it forms SiO2 oxide particles. The Feret diameter of the oxide particles is similar forall the alloys. The oxide surface density increases when the Si content in the binary alloy increases, leading to an increasein the surface area fraction covered by the oxides.