Effects of film formation conditions on the chemical composition and the semiconducting properties of the passive film on Alloy 690

Abstract

The chemical composition and the semiconducting properties of the passive films formed on Alloy 690 in various film formation conditions were investigated by XPS, photocurrent measurement, and Mott-Schottky analysis. The XPS and photocurrent spectra showed that the passive films formed on Alloy 690 in pH 8.5 buffer solution at ambient temperature, in air at 400℃, and in PWR condition comprise Cr2O3, Cr(OH)3, γ-Fe2O3, NiO, and Ni(OH)2. The thermally grown oxide in air and the passive film formed at high potential (0.3 VSCE) in pH 8.5 buffer solution were highly Cr-enriched, whereas the films formed in PWR condition and that formed at low potential (-0.3 VSCE) in pH 8.5 buffer solution showed relatively high Ni content and low Cr content. The Mott-Schottky plots exhibited n-type semiconductivity, inferring that the semiconducting properties of the passive films formed on Alloy 690 in various film formation conditions are dominated by Cr-substituted γ-Fe2O3. The donor density, i.e., concentration of oxygen vacancy, was measured to be 1.2×1021~4.6×1021 cm-3 and lowered with increase in the Cr content in the passive film.