Abstract:
This thesis is aimed to study the formation of oxide film on low alloy and low carbon steels by
Seebeck coefficient measurement. To study the relationship between the Seebeck coefficient and the
oxide film formation on low carbon steel, iron oxide films were formed by electrochemical,
hydrothermal and thermal methods. In electrochemical treatment, oxide of low alloy steel were
formed at -0.4 and 0.8 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) for 1, 5 and 10 hr. Thickness of passive films were
measured using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) to investigate the relationship of
oxide thickness and the Seebeck coefficient. The result indicated that the thicknesses of passive
films do not change with formation times. Inaddition to low alloy steel, passive films on low carbon
steels were formed at -0.4 and 0.6 V (vs, Ag/AgCl) for 1 hr. and the results showed that the
measured Seebeck coefficient, relative to the Seebeck coefficient of copper, increased when the
passive films were developed. Type of passive films, characterized by X-ray Photoelectron
Spectroscopy (XPS), is hematite (Fe20 3) . For hydrothermal method, the oxide films were grown on
low carbon steel in autoclave at 120?C for 12, 16 and 24 hr. The measured Seebeck coefficient was
found to rise up with increasing film formation times and electron was pointed out to be major
carrier. From XPS analysis, type of the oxide films is hematite (Fe20 3) . In case of thermal treatment,
the oxide films were formed at 250?C, 500 ?C and 750?C for 30 min. The measured Seebeck
coefficient increases with oxidation temperatures. The X-ray diffraction patterns indicated that
hematite (Fe20 ) and magnetite (Fe30 4) are oxides formed by this method. The morphology of the
oxide films were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The oxide films morphologies are
fine-grains structure, needle-like structure and sponge-like structure for oxides formed at 250?C,
500?C and 750?C, respectively. The oxide films were also grown in air at 500 "C for 10, 30, 60, 90,
120 and 240 min. The measured Seebeck coefficient of low carbon steel after thermal treatment
increases with oxidation times. However the Seebeck coefficient can not be measured for samples
treated at 500?C for 120 and 240 min. The XRD patterns show that magnetite (Fe30 4) is oxide film
whose morphologies are fme-grains structure and needle-like structure when the time increases.