Hafnium Modified Aluminide Coatings Obtained by the CVD and PVD Methods

Abstract

Zirconium, hafnium or platinum modification of NiAl phase increases the oxidation resistance of diffusion aluminide coatings. Small hafnium addition to aluminide coatings decreases the oxidation rate of nickel superalloys at 1100 °C.The paper presents comparison of structures of hafnium modified aluminide coatings deposited in two different ways on pure nickel. In the first way double layers of hafnium 3 μm thick and aluminum 3 μm thick were deposited by the EB-PVD on the nickel substrate. The double layers were subjected to diffusion treatment at 1050 °C for 6 h and 20 h. In the second method, a hafnium layer was deposited by the EB-PVD method, whereas aluminum was deposited by the CVD method. The obtained coatings were examined by the use of an optical microscope (microstructure and coating thickness) and a scanning electron microscope (chemical composition on the cross-section of the modified aluminide coating). Microstructures and phase compositions of coatings obtained by different methods differ significantly. Diffusion treatment for 6 h leads into formation of the Ni5Hf phase. The elongation of the diffusion time from 6 to 20 h decrease the volume fraction of the Ni5Hf phase. An aluminide coating deposited by the CVD method at 1050 °C at the nickel substrate with prior hafnium layer (3 μm thick) has a triple zone structure. An outer zone consists of the NiAl phase, a middle zone consists of the Ni3Al phase, and the Ni(Al) phase forms an inner zone, close to the substrate. An NiHf intermetallic phase is between the outer and the middle zone, whereas Ni3Hf is between the inner zone and the substrate.