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X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopic examinations of beryllium metal surfaces exposed to chlorinated solvents
Author(s) -
Birkbeck J. C.,
Kuehler N. L.,
Williams D. L.,
Moddeman W. E.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-9918(199904)27:4<273::aid-sia559>3.0.co;2-d
Subject(s) - beryllium , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , beryllium oxide , chemistry , metal , corrosion , oxide , chlorine , inorganic chemistry , materials science , chemical engineering , organic chemistry , engineering
Beryllium has found applications in the nuclear industry ascomponents in weapons and nuclear reactors, in the aerospace industryfor special structural applications and in precision navigationalinstruments such as gyroscopes. The purity of the beryllium is knownto have a large impact on its mechanical and chemical properties,including its corrosion resistance. Although chlorinated solventshave long been used to degrease and clean beryllium parts, not muchhas been reported about the potential effects of residual cleaningand processing agents left on the surface of beryllium. Recently,samples from some of the beryllium cladding that has been used in thenuclear industry have been found to contain corrosion promoters, e.g.chlorides. In addition, machined surfaces of more recent berylliummetal, e.g. S200 grades, were found to include chlorides. This paperinvolves using x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy to examine theeffects of residual chlorinated solvents on beryllium undernear‐ambient conditions. Interpretation of the data concludesthat these chlorinated solvents react with the beryllium metalsurfaces to produce chlorides. Thermodynamic calculations are used tocorroborate these results. A mechanism is proposed to explain theloss of the native protective oxide which exposes a reactive surfaceto the chlorine in the solvents to produce a chloride. Copyright© 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.