What Does
High Temperature Oxidation Mean?
High temperature oxidation refers to a chemical reaction involving a metallic object and atmospheric oxygen that produces corrosion at elevated temperatures. Such corrosion can be prevented by protection methods that reduce the rate of oxidation.
Corrosionpedia Explains High Temperature Oxidation
High temperature oxidation is generally governed by the following chemical reaction involving oxygen (O2) and a metal M:
nM + 1/2kO2 = MnOk
Several industrial chemical processes (such as cracking furnaces) are conducted at elevated temperatures to promote endothermic reactions in order to obtain the required production rates. These processes are used to produce olefins such as ethylene, which are then used to generate commodity materials such as polypropylene.
Oxidation in this environment creates a wide range of reaction morphologies and rates. Through close observation and analysis it can be determined which circumstances (e.g., alloy composition and environment) encourage oxidation to occur. With this information the process can be intercepted and the corrosion rate in a given application can be reduced.