Numerical Simulation of Internal Oxidation of Steels during Annealing Treatments

This paper presents a new model for simultaneous diffusion and precipitation of chemical elements in metallic matrices, a scheme for its numerical solution, and several applications to problems of internal oxidation. The model basically stands as an extension of the classical Wagner model for internal oxidation of steels, but is more much general in that it allows for an arbitrary number of diffusing chemical elements, an arbitrary number of precipitate phases with arbitrary compositions, dependence of diffusion coefficients and solubility products upon (time-dependent) temperature, etc., thus allowing for a much broader range of applications. As a counterpart, it is generally impossible to solve the complex, non-linear equations of the model analytically, but this can be done numerically. The simple but efficient numerical scheme proposed is based on explicit 1D finite differences. Experience has shown that this scheme, in spite of its rusticity and the restrictions it imposes on the time-step, is more efficient than more elaborate strategies based on the finite-element method. The applications presented are concerned with internal oxidation of steels during annealing processes. The model and associated numerical scheme allow for evaluation of the amounts of the various oxide precipitates in the external layer of the sheet. This opens the way, through numerical parametric studies of the influence of the process parameters and the chemical composition, to the improvement of existing treatments and the development of new steel grades.     

Oxidation Performance of Fe-Al/WC Composite Coatings Produced by High Velocity Arc Sprayed at 650 ℃

Fe-Al intermetallics with remarkable high-temperatureintensity and excellent erosion,high-temperatureoxidation and sulfuration resistance are potential lowcost high-temperature structural material.ProducingFe-Al/WC composite coating by high velocity arcspraying(HVAS)on structural materials would notonly obviate the problems faced in fabrication of thesealloys into useful shapes,but also allow the effectiveuse of their outstanding high-temperature performance,which might thus promisingly mak…     

Influence of Atomizing Gases on the Oxide-Film Morphology and Thickness of Aluminum Powders

Fine powders of aluminum were produced in a pilot-plant, inert-gas atomizerwith a confined-design nozzle, which operated vertically upward. Argonand helium at 1.85 MPa and nitrogen at 1.56 MPa were used as the atomizingagent. The morphology of the powder particles was examined by SEM. Powderswere sieved dry and wet. The Sauter mean diameter of the powders varied from20.70 to 10.25 m depending on the atomizing gas. The distribution ofsizes was bimodal. The mean thickness of oxide on the surface of the powderwas calculated from the total oxygen contents of powder samples (determinedby a Leco analyzer). In addition, ESCA measurements and BET tests werecarried out for surface-oxide thickness and area measurements,respectively. The finest powder produced under helium incorporated thinnersurface-oxide layers than the coarser ones produced under argon andnitrogen. This was due to differences in physical properties (such asdensity, thermal conductivity) and flow properties (such as gasvelocity and relative velocity) of the atomizing gases used, i.e., helium,argon, and nitrogen. The oxide was very irregular in thickness in thecoarse-size range of the Al powders produced under argon and nitrogen. Thiswas presumably because of the high- and low-temperature oxidation ofaluminum droplets during the atomization and subsequent solidification andcooling periods leading to the rough surfaces observed with SEMinvestigation in the present work.     

High Temperature Oxidation of Steels in Air and CO2–O2 Atmosphere

Three kinds of hot rolled steel slabs, viz. high strength steel, bake hardened steel and low carbon steel, were oxidized isothermally between 1100 and 1250 °C for up to 2 hr in 1 atm of air and an 85%N₂–10%CO₂–5%O₂ gas mixture. The steels were oxidized in a similar fashion in both the atmospheres. The oxidation process followed an initial linear rate law, which then gradually transformed to a nearly parabolic rate law. Thick, porous and nonadherent scales formed rapidly, due to the high oxidation temperature. The scales formed consisted of Fe₂O₃,(Fe₂O₃+Fe₃O₄), (Fe₃O₄+Fe₂O₃ +FeO) and (FeO+Fe₃O₄) from the outer surface. The presence of supersaturated oxygen beneath the scale resulted in grain boundary oxidation and the formation of internal oxide precipitates.     

High-temperature oxidation of pure titanium in CO2 and Ar-10%CO2 atmospheres

The oxidation behavior of pure titanium has been investigated in the temperature range of 1000 K to 1300 K in CO₂ or Ar-10%CO₂. Optical microscopy, electron probe microanalyses, and X-ray measurements on the oxide scales formed during oxidation indicate that their structures are nearly independent of temperature and the corrosion atmosphere. The scales consisted of two layers, an external one and an internal one, having a rutile (TiO₂) structure. The parabolic rate law was confirmed for growth of the external scale and the permeation depth of oxygen in titanium with apparent activation energies of 266 and 226 kJ/mol, respectively. The rate-determining diffusion species in the oxidation processes are discussed.     

A high-temperature oxidation-resistant Fe-Mn-Al-Si alloy

To develop satisfactory alloys without Cr or Ni for high-temperature application up to 1100C, three alloys based on Fe-10%Al-Si with differing fourth (or fifth) element additions were oxidized in air at 1100°Cfor 24 hr. A low carbon, Fe-30Mn-10Al-Si alloy exhibited excellent high-temperature oxidation resistance. The total weight gain for 24 hr oxidation in air at 1100°C was only 1.03 mg/cm ². After air oxidation for 6 days at 1100°C, no nodule formation or breakthrough oxidation occurred. Post-oxidation SEM and EDAX examination showed that a thin, compact, protective alumina scale formed on the alloy.Visiting Scientist (People's Republic of China).     

Accelerated electrospark deposition and the wear behavior of coatings

Electrospark deposition (ESD) is a coating process that is featured by low heat input to the substrate. Low coating efficiency and other limitations influence its wider application. The present paper introduces newly designed ESD equipment, by which a higher coating rate can be reached. The relationship among coating thickness, surface roughness, and process parameters such as pulse energy, pulse frequency, and deposition time are presented. Electrospark deposition coating by the new equipment on AISI 1045 steel (with WC-8% Co as electrode) increases the wear resistance by 5 to 8 times. The micromechanism is investigated by scanning electron microscopy observation.     

Microstructural Investigation of Protective and Non-Protective Oxides on 11% Chromium Steel

FIB, SEM and STEM/EDX were used to investigate X20 stainless-steel samples exposed to dry O₂, or O₂ containing 40% H₂O, with a flow velocity of 0.5 cm/s or 5 cm/s, for 168 hr or 336 hr at 600°C. Thin protective Cr-rich (Cr,Fe)₂O₃ was maintained on the samples exposed to dry O₂, even after 336 hr, and on the sample exposed to O₂/H₂O mixture with the low-flow velocity (0.5 cm/s) for 168 hr. The oxide scale formed in the latter environment contained less Cr, due to Cr loss through CrO₂(OH)₂ evaporation. Breakaway oxidation occurred on the samples exposed in high-gas-flow velocity for shorter time (168 hr) or in low-gas-flow velocity (0.5 cm/s) for longer time (336 hr). The breakaway scales featured a two-layered structure: an outward-growing oxide “island” consisting of almost pure hematite (α-Fe₂O₃), and an inward-growing oxide “crater” consisting of (Cr,Fe)₃O₄. The transition from a thin protective (Cr,Fe)₂O₃ scale to a non-protective thick scale on this martensitic/ferritic steel originated locally and was followed by rapid oxide growth, resulting in a thick scale that covered the whole sample surface.     

对堆芯熔化条件下锆合金包壳腐蚀动力学有关问题的讨论

针对在堆芯熔化条件下建立铝合金包壳腐蚀动力学模型时所涉及的有关问题和已有的模型进行了讨论和评述。     

微量Ge对大气下液态Sn抗氧化性能的影响

采用观察液态Sn表面氧化行为和刮取表面氧化渣的方法,研究了微量元素Ge对液态Sn在大气和250℃条件下表面抗氧化性能的影响,并与纯Sn的氧化行为进行对比;利用X射线光电子能谱仪(XPS)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)研究了合金表面元素的含量、价态,及合金氧化后的表面形貌.结果表明:当微量元素Ge浓度达到0.01%时(质量分数),大气下液态Sn表面具有很好的抗氧化性能,同时微量元素在液态Sn表面高度富集.XPS分析表明:表面富集的Ge以4价氧化物形式存在.静态液面氧化时,Ge在液态Sn中迅速偏析,并形成一种保护性的致密氧化膜,是提高液态Sn抗氧化性能的原因.