Model of vapor-phase oxidation of metal particles

The problem of oxidation of metal vapor, which is usually accompanied by heterogeneous oxidation of the metal at high temperatures, is solved analytically. Expressions are proposed for the contribution of vapor-phase processes in the limiting cases: for the initial moment of oxidation at which oxide films are either very thin or still absent; and for transition of the oxidation process to a steady-state regime in which the oxide layer is so thick that gas-phase processes occur almost completely within the oxide layer. The obtained results can be used for a more precise determination of the mechanism of high-temperature oxidation of various metals and for an adequate interpretation of measurement results.