Mechanism of oxide adherence on Fe-25Cr-4Al (Y or Sc) alloys

Abstract

Oxidized alloys of Fe-25Cr-4Al, some containing small additions of elements (Yttrium or Scandium) which strongly promote oxide adherence, have been subjected to extensive structural studies by scanning, replication, and transmission electron microscopy as well as other techniques. The morphological details of the Al₂O₃ scales, which develop on these alloys during high temperature oxidation, and the structural changes at the oxide-substrate interfaces are discussed with respect to oxidation kinetics and oxide adherence. The oxide scales grow into the alloys at rates consistent with the diffusion of oxygen down grain boundaries of the fine-grained scales. Yttrium and expecially scandium additions tend to increase oxidation rates by providing rapid diffusion paths in the form of yttria and scandia stringers. More importantly, the morphological data led to the conclusion that the spallation of nonadherent scale is caused by distributions of small voids at the oxide-substrate interface. Consistent with this conclusion, it is found that the oxide scale is tenaciously adherent when voids are absent, as is the case when yttrium or scandium is added to the alloy. It is maintained that these alloy additions promote oxide adherence by forming vacancy complexes with excess vacancies or by providing internal oxide boundaries for the condensation of excess vacancies, which would have otherwise condensed at the oxide-substrate interface and formed the voids responsible for oxide spallation. The role of vacancy sinks is further confirmed by showing that oxide adherence is promoted in Fe-25Cr-4Al, in the absence of yttrium of scandium, by a distribution of Al₂O₃ particles. This result indicates that particles, which have been used in engineering alloys for strengthening purposes, can also promote oxide adherence. The morphological data are also discussed with respect to other mechanisms that had been proposed for oxide adherence.