High-Temperature Corrosion of Cast Irons and Cast Steels in Dry Air

Abstract

The oxidation in dry air of four cast alloys intended for exhaust gas systems has been examined. Particular interest was directed to how the oxide growth was related to the microstructures. The examined alloys were two cast ductile irons, a SiMo alloy (Fe3,86Si0,6Mo3C) and a Ni-Resist alloy (Fe32Ni5,3Si2,1C), and two cast stainless steels, one ferritic (Fe18Cr2,1Mn0,32C) and cane austenitic (Fe20Cr9Ni0,47C). Coupons were oxidised for 50 h at temperatures between 650°C and 1050°C. The samples were characterised by using XRD, SEM/EDX and AES. As expected, the overall oxide thickness increased with temperature and partial spallation occurred at the highest temperatures for all alloys. Porous Fe oxide nodules nucleate at the graphite nodules on the ductile irons. These Fe-oxide nodules formed above a continuous layer of Fe-Si-oxide for the SiMo and mixed Fe-Ni-Si oxides for the Ni-Resist. The total oxide thickness is about (60μm). Thick oxides at the interdendritic regions in the cast steels were attributed to non-Cr-carbides. Segregation of Cr directed the formation of iron oxide nodules to the centre of the dendrites in the austenitic alloy.