Nickel aluminides oxide scales

The diffusion coefficient of aluminium in a ferritic iron-aluminium matrix is some orders of magnitude higher than in austenitic Ni3Al. Because of the low diffusion coefficient, diffusion in nickel aluminides is slow and aluminium depletion beneath the alumina scale and formation of nonprotective nickel oxides has been observed in Ni3Al. [4]. 

The selective oxidation of an alloy component, e.g., A1 or Si, requires the alumina or silica to be more stable than the oxides of the other components in the alloy. Figure 2.5 indicates this condition would be met for compounds such as nickel aluminides and molybdenum silicides. However, in the case of Nb- or Ti-base compounds the oxides of the base metal are nearly as stable as those of A1 or Si. This can result in conditions for which selective oxidation is impossible. This situation exists for titanium aluminides containing less than 50 at% A1 as illustrated in Figure 5.27. In this case a two-phase scale of intermixed AI2O3 and I1O2 is generally observed. It should be emphasized that the determination of which oxide is more stable must take into account the prevailing metal activities. 

Rare earths incorporated into aluminide coatings. The enhanced oxidation resistance and scale adhesion imparted to AI2O3 forming alloys has stimulated a quest for novel approaches for incorporating rare-earth elements into nickel-aluminide (p-NiAl) coatings on superalloy turbine-blade materials. 

Y ions into an aluminide ((3-NiAl) on a nickel-base alloy and confirm that while initially the implanted reactive element effectively imparts increased scale adhesion, both in air and oxygen at 1000 -1200 C, the beneficial influence is not long lasting. They attributed this loss to the influence of the substrate Ni-base superalloy, since lasting benefits of reduced rates of oxidation and improved scale adherence were maintained when Y was implanted into bulk 3-NiAl (Jedlinski and Mrowec 1987). 

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