The effects of porous Pt on the oxidation of Cr at 800degreesC have been studied with the (OSIMS)-O-18 technique, gas phase analysis and XPS. In oxide areas with Pt a pronounced inward oxygen transport takes place and a substantial oxide growth near the Cr substrate is observed. In oxide grown on areas without Pt the counts of CrO ions in SIMS and the binding energy of O (1s) in XPS depend on the distance from the area with Pt. The experimental observations are believed to be a consequence of a high dissociation efficiency of O-2 on areas with Pt in combination with a high diffusivity of O in external and internal oxide surfaces on areas both with and without Pt.