Investigation of Metal Corrosion Mechanisms Using Stable Isotopes with the Ion Microprobe

The ability of the ion microprobe or SIMS instrument to distinguish between isotopes and to analyze thin layers sequentially by sputtering provides unique methods well suited for studying oxidation and corrosion mechanisms. Although many SIMS studies of oxidation have been reported, very few have taken advantage of isotope substitution [1–4], The ability to directly observe the order and direction of events in a corrosion reaction in relatively thin films should be of importance to metallurgists and material scientists, particularly those who are interested in oxidation or corrosion at relatively low temperatures or under mild conditions.