Oxide scale, whose ionic conductivity is larger than its electronic one, generate an electro-motive force between a metal/scale and a scale/gas interfaces. When the scale is thin, an electrical potential gradient is large. The large electrical potential gradient may have a possibility to break scales. To confirm the possibility, high temperature oxidation of zirconium on initial stage was observed by an acoustic emission (AE) technique. AE signal was detected before the scale thickness less than 3 μm. And an electrical response on sputtered zirconium oxide thin film was observed. When the applied voltage over 2.00 V, the electrical current was scattered.
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