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Interplay of water and reactive elements in oxidation of alumina-forming alloys

Nature Materials volume 17, pages 610–617 (2018)Cite this article

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Abstract

High-temperature alloys are crucial to many important technologies that underpin our civilization. All these materials rely on forming an external oxide layer (scale) for corrosion protection. Despite decades of research on oxide scale growth, many open questions remain, including the crucial role of the so-called reactive elements and water. Here, we reveal the hitherto unknown interplay between reactive elements and water during alumina scale growth, causing a metastable ‘messy’ nano-structured alumina layer to form. We propose that reactive-element-decorated, hydroxylated interfaces between alumina nanograins enable water to access an inner cathode in the bottom of the scale, at odds with the established scale growth scenario. As evidence, hydride-nanodomains and reactive element/hydrogen (deuterium) co-variation are observed in the alumina scale. The defect-rich alumina subsequently recrystallizes to form a protective scale. First-principles modelling is also performed to validate the RE effect. Our findings open up promising avenues in oxidation research and suggest ways to improve alloy properties.

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Fig. 1: A large oxide nodule formed in H2+N2 with traces of water.
Fig. 2: A typical oxide nodule formed in O2
Fig. 3: Evidence for H in alumina scales.
Fig. 4: The reaction sequence and schematic features are highlighted.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support from the Swedish Energy Agency is gratefully acknowledged. The authors are grateful to T. Helander of Sandvik Heating Technology for helpful advice during the research, M. Thuvander (Division for Materials Microstructure in the Department of Physics at Chalmers University of Technology) for interpretation of the APT results, and M. Norell (Division of Materials and Manufacture in the Department of Industrial and Materials Science at Chalmers University of Technology) for his help in conducting AES analysis. This research was conducted in the Swedish High Temperature Corrosion Centre (HTC) at Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden

    N. Mortazavi, M. Sattari, K. Lindgren & M. Halvarsson

  2. Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Division of Energy and Materials, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden

    C. Geers, M. Esmaily, V. Babic, J. E. Svensson & I. Panas

  3. Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Division of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden

    P. Malmberg

  4. Sandvik Heating Technology AB, Hallstahammar, Sweden

    B. Jönsson

  5. The High Temperature Corrosion Centre (HTC), Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden

    L. G. Johansson

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Contributions

N.M. carried out the FIB/BIB/SEM/(S)TEM/EDX, TEM diffraction, EBSD, TKD and some parts of the statistical analyses. M.H. assisted with data interpretation. N.M. and M.H. developed and utilized the mTKD technique to characterize the microstructure of the ultra-fine grained (‘messy/thick’) oxide scale forming around RE particles. C.G. designed and carried out the controlled exposures. I.P. and V.B. carried out the density functional theory calculations. M.S. carried out some of the HR-(S)TEM and EELS analyses. N.M prepared FIB-prepared thin foils and cross marks and P.M. conducted the (nano/TOF)SIMS analyses. K.L. conducted the APT investigations. M.E. and B.J. performed some parts of the statistical analyses and M.E. also contributed in TOF-SIMS experiments. N.M., M.E., I.P., J.E.S. and L.G.J. wrote the manuscript. All the authors contributed to interpretation of the results and commented on the manuscript.

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Correspondence to N. Mortazavi or L. G. Johansson.

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Supplementary Information

Supplementary Tables: S1–S2, Supplementary Figures: Figures S1–S21, Supplementary References 1–28

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Interplay of water and reactive elements

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Mortazavi, N., Geers, C., Esmaily, M. et al. Interplay of water and reactive elements in oxidation of alumina-forming alloys. Nature Mater 17, 610–617 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-018-0105-6

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