Effects of sulfur on vapor and liquid H₂O adsorption on stainless steel

This paper reports a study of the influence of surface S on the adsorption of water vapor and liquid on an 18% Cr, 8% Ni austenitic stainless steel at room temperature. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements of the increase of O as a function of water exposure indicate that S inhibits water vapor uptake in direct relation to the amount of S on the surface, up to coverages ≊0.8 monolayer. Higher S coverages did not further inhibit water uptake. In contrast, one monolayer of S on the surface did not significantly alter the thickness or composition of films formed in pure liquid water at 25 °C. Exposure of the S‐dosed steel to H₂ O water vapor or liquid produced no observable change in the S 2p photopeak.