Improvements in high temperature oxidation resistance by additions of reactive elements or oxide dispersions

Abstract

The improvement in oxidation resistance of high temperature alloys as a result of additions of rare earth elements, other reactive metals, or dispersions of stable oxides, has been known for many years. Two effects seem the most important: first, the adhesion between scale and alloy is markedly improved and this increases the alloy’s resistance to thermal cycling exposure; secondly, in some but not all cases the actual growth rate of the oxide is also reduced. The various models proposed to explain these phenomena are discussed in the light of currently available experimental evidence. The most significant of these involve modification to the early, transient stages of oxidation, doping of the oxide which changes its transport properties, mechanical keying of the surface scale to the substrate by the formation of intrusions of oxide penetrating into the alloy and the elimination of void formation at the alloy-scale interface. The efficacies of the various beneficial additions are compared.