Cyclic-Oxidation Behavior of Fe–20Cr–4Al Alloys with Small Amounts of Sulfur at High Temperatures

Abstract

The cyclic-oxidation behavior of Fe–20Cr–4Al alloys with 3, 35, 53, 104, and 171 ppm sulfur was studied in oxygen at 1273, 1373, 1473, 1573, and 1673 K by mass-change measurements, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron-probe microanalysis (EPMA). The cyclic oxidation consisted of an 18.0 ksec exposure that was repeated up to five times. Amounts of spalled oxides of the alloys with 35 and 53 ppm sulfur increased after one and two oxidation cycles, and then decreased after three or more oxidation cycles at 1473 and 1573 K. On the other hand, spalling of oxide scales on the alloys with 3 and 171 ppm sulfur was scarcely recognized after all cycles used in this study. SEM observations of both sides of the spalled oxides indicated that spallation was related to the morphology of the surface oxides and to the morphology and volume of cavities at the oxide–alloy interface.