Electrochemical and Surface Analytical Characterization of Titanium and Titanium Hydride Thin Film Electrode Oxidation

The oxidation of the active, high-energy density materials Ti and TiH been studied by electrochemical and electron spectroscopic techniques. The apparent thickness of the oxide was controlled by the magnitude of the applied potential across thin (200-6000 A) films. Electrochemical measurements indicated that after irreversible oxide formation, the thin films behaved as semiconducting oxide electrodes. A technique of electrochemical aging is described which permits comparison with oxide thicknesses produced by thermal aging. Observation of the dN(E)/dE N(E) Auger spectrum indicated that all electrode film surfaces are a mixture of TiO sub 2, suboxides, and the respective metallic phases (Ti or TiH sub x).28 refs.--AA