Experimental Verification of the Decomposition of Y2O3 in Fe-Based ODS Alloys During Mechanical Alloying Process

In this study, we investigated the state of $Y_2O_3$, as a major additive element in Fe-based ODS alloys, during mechanical alloying (MA) processes by thermodynamic approaches and experimental verification. For this purpose, we introduced $Ti_2O_3$ that formed different reaction products depending on the state of $Y_2O_3$ into the Fe-based ODS alloys. In addition, the reaction products of $Ti_2O_3$, Y, and $Y_2O_3$ powders were predicted approximately based on their formation enthalpy. The experimental results relating to the formation of Y-based complex oxides revealed that $YTiO_3$ and $Y_2Ti_2O_7$ were formed when $Ti_2O_3$ reacted with Y; in contrast, only $Y_2Ti_2O_7$ was detected during the reaction between $Ti_2O_3$ and $Y_2O_3$. In the alloy of $Fe-Cr-Y_2O_3$ with $Ti_2O_3$, $YTiO_3$ (formed by the reaction of $Ti_2O_3$ with Y) was detected after the MA and heat treatment processes were complete, even though $Y_2O_3$ was present in the system. Using these results, it was proved that $Y_2O_3$ decomposed into monoatomic Y and O during the MA process.