Inhomogeneous Oxide Growth on Austenitic Stainless Steel

PROJECT NUMBER: 71

AUTHOR: Kelsey Ferro, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

MENTOR: Terry Lowe, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering | MENTOR: Skyler Davis, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

ABSTRACT

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The production of medical cannula for hypodermic needles require elevated heat treatments. The properties and performance of these needles depend on the processing required to form and shape the needles. The thermal treatments oxidize the surface of the cannula, which may affect the performance of the needles. To evaluate the oxidation process, samples of 0.020 inch thick sheet steel with two different compositions were cut and electropolished. Then the samples were subjected to thermal treatments at 1050 C in a static air furnace for periods ranging from 10 minutes to 4 hours, then removed and cooled in air. The oxide growth was examined by scanning electron microscopy. The kinetics of oxidation was found to be faster at grain boundaries. This changed the composition of the alloy in the grain boundaries. This phenomenon explains variation in the ability of cannula to resist corrosion.

VISUAL PRESENTATION

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AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

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Kelsey Ferro is a first-year student in the Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Department. As a recipient of the FIRST fellowship, she has been able to work alongside Dr. Terry Lowe and his research team, the Transdisciplinary Nano Materials Research Team. Her interests lie in metallurgy for biomedical applications, as well as exploring other metallurgy applications. The research she has done with Dr. Lowe has all concerned biomedical applications and the processing of metals, creating a great gateway into the world of collegiate research. The FIRST fellowship gave her an early start into research, something that is unique to the Mines experience, providing her with experience for years to come. Kelsey will continue to explore the applications of metallurgy and how her skills built doing research will benefit her future career in the metallurgy industry.

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