Effects of a Steam Pre-treatment on the Formation and Transformation of Alumina Phases on Fe Aluminide Coatings

Abstract

Several researchers have studied the transformation of metastable aluminas (γ- and θ-) to α-Al2O3 but very little is known regarding alumina scales formed under water vapour and their transformation to α-Al2O3. Some results have indicated that water vapour increases the oxidation rate of alumina-scale forming coatings but others have found the opposite, that is, that under water vapour the oxidation rates decrease as either transition aluminas do not form or the transformation to α-Al2O3 is accelerated. In addition, it was found that χ-Al2O3 is the only oxide that forms at the initial stages of oxidation under 100 % steam on Fe–Al coatings at 650 °C. Under these conditions, this oxide is very protective, and slowly transforms onto α-Al2O3. A preliminary study of the transformation of χ- to α-Al2O3 at 900 °C under laboratory air was carried out. χ-Al2O3 was generated by a steam pre-treatment on slurry Fe aluminide coatings deposited on P92.