Microstructure and high temperature oxidation behavior of hot-dip aluminized coating on high silicon ductile iron

High silicon ductile iron was coated by hot-dipping into an Al molten bath. The oxidation behavior of the aluminized alloy and the bare substrate was studied in air at 750 °C. The results showed that the coating layers consisted of three layers, in the sequence of Al, Fe-Al intermetallic and Si pile-up layers from the external topcoat to the substrate. The intermetallic layer was composed of outer FeAl₃ and inner Fe₂Al₅. The outer rod-shaped FeAl₃ dispersed in the aluminum topcoat, while the inner tongue-like Fe₂Al₅ formed in the metallic layer becoming the major phase in the aluminide coating layer. Those three layers of aluminum, Fe₂Al₅ and silicon pile-up layer exhibited hardness of HV 50, HV 1100 and HV 450, respectively. In this study, when the as-coated specimens were examined, Fe-Al-Si compounds could not be found. But the silicon pile-up at the interface between the substrate and the Fe-Al intermetallic layer could be seen in all the as-coated specimens. The graphite nodules were noticed in the substrate. The presence of graphite nodules in the substrate might be markers of hot-dipping. After hot-dipping in Al all the specimens contained graphite nodules in the aluminide layer.The oxidized graphite nodules resulted in cracks propagating in aluminide coating. Even though graphite nodules meant the existence of crack in the aluminide coating, the high temperature oxidation experiments indicated that the aluminide coating could prevent the oxidation of substrate effectively even at 750 °C.