Evolutions of microtexture in tertiary oxide scale are investigated.

Surface asperity flattening is pronounced at high thickness reduction of 28%.

Magnetite has {100}<001> and {001}<110> texture components.

class="mathmlsrc">title="View the MathML source" class="mathImg" data-mathURL="/science?_ob=MathURL&_method=retrieve&_eid=1-s2.0-S0301679X15003928&_mathId=si0002.gif&_user=111111111&_pii=S0301679X15003928&_rdoc=1&_issn=0301679X&md5=f52ae6828397d69e09bd2fe9817bc8d2">class="imgLazyJSB inlineImage" height="13" width="76" alt="View the MathML source" style="margin-top: -5px; vertical-align: middle" title="View the MathML source" src="/sd/grey_pxl.gif" data-inlimgeid="1-s2.0-S0301679X15003928-si0002.gif">class="mathContainer hidden">class="mathCode">$\left\{0001\right\}<10\overline{1}>$component dominates in α-Fe₂O₃.

Nanoparticles can be trapped in the cracks to change the wear rates.