Quantitative determination of fayalite layers on iron by CEMS

In the processing of silicon iron (Fe-3%) Si), so-called ‘fayalite layers’ are formed. By CEMS, they were found to consist of an outer Fe3+-oxide layer and an inner Fe2SiO4 (fayalite) layer. Sometimes an additional wustite contribution was found. Thef-factor of fayalite was determined experimentally (ffayalite/fα-Fe=0.47±0.04) and, by use of it, the thicknesses of the layers on some silicon iron samples could be calculated from CEMS data.