On the Pre-oxidation Treatments of Four Commercial Ni-Based Superalloys in Air and in Ar–H 2 O at 950 °C

The short-term oxidation behaviour of RA 602CA, Inconel 693, Manaurite 40XO and Sumitomo 696, which are four alloys recommended for hydrocarbon processing, was studied both in air and in Ar-H2O to determine the conditions of pre-oxidation treatments. Regardless of the considered material, the oxidation rate at 950 A degrees C was systematically higher in Ar-H2O than in dry air. Surface examination of the Al-containing alloys indicated that they were not uniformly oxidized all over the surface. All Al-containing alloys (from 1.6 to 3.2% wt) formed an external protective alumina scale and behaved as alumina-forming alloys in dry air at 950 A degrees C. In contrast, these alloys developed a rate-controlling chromia scale and severe internal oxidation in a H2O-containing atmosphere. Compared with their oxidation behaviour in air + H2O, the phenomenon was significantly enhanced in the atmosphere that coupled water vapour with a low oxygen pressure. Consequently, the Al-containing alloys should not be pre-oxidized in a water vapour atmosphere prior to long exposure to a corrosive atmosphere. In contrast, the chromia-forming Al-free 696 alloy exhibited identical oxidation behaviour in both atmospheres, demonstrating that the degradation of this alloy was not significantly affected by water vapour.