  It has been widely accepted that the introduction of titanium carbides into
titanium-based alloys can significantly enhance the oxidation resistance due to
their superior physicochemical stability at elevated temperatures. The present
study reported for the first time that the ordered C vacancies within titanium
carbides could lead to an uncommon phenomenon particularly at the very initial
stage of oxidation. The intrinsic micro-to-macro oxidation mechanisms were
systematically clarified with the aids of transmission electron microscope and
ab-initio molecular dynamics simulation.
