Surface chemical reactions of aluminosilicate composites at extreme atmospheres using electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis

Aluminosilicates are important materials and are mostly applied to high temperature structural engineering. However, they are susceptible to degradation in aggressive and extreme atmospheres. The chemical degradation and subsequent failure of aluminosilicates can be severe in both reducing atmospheres and high temperatures in the presence of water vapor. The potential use of electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis to monitor such effects on aluminosilicate composites in a simulated land-based gas turbine environment is presented in this study. The chemical changes caused by the environment can be observed as systematic binding energy shifts in the O(1s) spectrum as a function of varying Si/Al ratio. The chemical changes are further correlated to thermodynamic calculations at selected temperatures and partial pressures.