Science and Technology of Advanced Materials (Jan 2009)

Water vapor effect on high-temperature oxidation behavior of Fe3Al intermetallics

  • Sebastian Chevalier, Pitor Juzon, Kazimierz Przybylski and Jean-Pierre Larpin

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 4
p. 045006

Abstract

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Fe3Al intermetallics (Fe3Al, Fe3Al-Zr, Fe3Al-Zr,Mo and Fe3Al-Zr,Mo,Nb) were oxidized at 950 °C in dry and humid (11 vol% water) synthetic air. Thermogravimetric measurements showed that the oxidation rates of the tested intermetallics were lower in humid air than in dry air (especially for Fe3Al-Zr,Mo and Fe3Al-Zr,Mo,Nb). The addition of small amounts of Zr, Mo or Nb improved the kinetics compared with that of the undoped Fe3Al. Fe3Al showed massive spallation, whereas Fe3Al-Zr, Fe3Al-Zr,Mo and Fe3Al-Zr,Mo,Nb produced a flat, adherent oxide layer. The rapid transformation of transient alumina into alpha alumina may explain the decrease in the oxidation rate in humid air.

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