Abstract
Stainless steel 304 2B and BA are oxidized in 2.5 M $CrO_3/$ 5.0 M $H_2SO_4$ solution, and elemental composition and oxidized state of the surface region is analyzed as a function of the surface depth using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It is found that Fe and Cr are preferentially oxidized and diffuse outward following the oxidation. Element Ni, the third major component of the steel is not oxidized and remains deep under the surface. It is also found that the oxidized Fe dissolves considerably into the solution thereby enriching the gas-oxide interface with Cr.