Cyclic Oxidation of Steam Pre-oxidized MCrAlY and Ni Aluminide Coatings

Abstract

Significant attention has been paid to high temperature oxidation resistant coatings such as overlay MCrAlYs and diffusion Ni aluminide coatings to protect superalloys in both aeronautic and gas turbine components. Both coatings behave as Al reservoirs in order to form a protective Al2O3 layer. Said layer is very stable but grows with exposure time and will also tend to spall due to thermal cycling. Both types of coatings are also employed as bond layers for thermal barrier ceramic coatings (TBCs), which are employed to maintain a lower surface temperature for refrigerated turbine components. The bond coating has a dual function as it reduces the thermal expansion coefficient mismatch between the ceramic layer and the superalloy, and protects the superalloy from environmental degradation due to air as well as other contaminants that will permeate through the porous ceramic top layer. The main cause of failure of TBCs is related to spalling of the ceramic top layer due to stresses resulting from the Al2O3 growth at the bond coating-thermal barrier interface. It has been shown that bond coat pre-treatment prior to the TBC deposition has a strong influence on the oxidation resistance of these coatings. Moreover, recent results by C. Zhou and collaborators have indicated that steam present in air will significantly increase the oxidation rate of TBCs (with MCrAlYs as bond coating) and the cause is attributed to the formation of thick porous mixed oxides related to the presence of steam. The authors suggest that H dissolved into the initially formed oxides enhance Ni and Cr ion outwards diffusion.