Laser-oxygen cutting of mild steel: the thermodynamics of the oxidation reaction

In a considerable proportion of the published work on the subject of laser-oxygen cutting of mild steel, the details of the oxidation reaction are overlooked or confused. For example, it is not uncommon for the oxidized material to be attributed with the physical characteristics of iron rather than iron oxide. Also, the fact that the oxidation reaction cannot take place above a certain temperature limit is usually overlooked. This paper presents, for the first time, an in-depth analysis of the Iron to FeO oxidation reaction in the context of laser-oxygen cutting of mild steel. The paper concludes by presenting a number of guidelines for future theoretical models.