Premium
Surface oxides of boron and B 12 O 2 as determined by XPS
Author(s) -
Moddeman W. E.,
Burke A. R.,
Bowling W. C.,
Foose D. S.
Publication year - 1989
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/sia.740140503
Subject(s) - suboxide , boron , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , oxide , boron oxide , materials science , metal , layer (electronics) , stoichiometry , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemical engineering , inorganic chemistry , chemistry , metallurgy , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , engineering
Mound Laboratoires has been investigating pyrotechnic materials for several years. Prior studies on the mechanism of ignition have been performed on Ti/KCIO 4 and Ti/2B mixtures. These studies have shown the importance of the surface oxides of these materials in determining the mechanism of ignition. In the present study, XPS spectra of fused metal, oxidized fused boron and boron metal powder have been recorded. The spectra are interpeted by including the presence of a continuous boron suboxide layer. The results presented here are different from those previosuly reported, which suggests that the formation of boron oxide occurs in islets. The predominant suboxide will be shown to be B x O y , where x / y = 3. This oxide was found to be present independent of the degree of oxidation. Including this oxide in thickness calculations shows the oxidation of powders to be five layers or so thick, and also aids in understanding Ti/2B ignition.