Influence of minor additions on the emissivity of the oxide scale of FeCrAlY alloys during resistance heating

Chromium aluminum yttrium (FeCrAlY) alloys owe their low oxidation rate to the formation of a slow growing α‐alumina scale. For material used for heating elements not only the life time and the behavior of the resistance during the life time is of relevance, but also the emission coefficient of the oxide scale. The power density J_S produced by resistance heating of strip with 50 µm thickness and about 5–6 mm width at 1050 °C is approximately equal to the radiant flux density, which is according to Stefan–Boltzmann's law proportional to the total emission coefficient ε_g. Resistance heating tests were performed on samples made from FeCrAlY alloys with different zirconium and carbon content. The “high zirconium” containing FeCrAlY alloys (zirconium > about 0.10%) have a higher power density/emissivity than the “low zirconium” alloys. In parallel with this, all samples with higher power density/emissivity have internal oxidation and therefore a “rough” metal–oxide interface. Thus, one cause for the increase of the emissivity of the scale could be this rough metal–oxide interface; other causes could be a higher amount of zirconium incorporated into the scale, more pores and/or different grain structure in the scale. Additionally the carbon content influences the appearance of a higher emissivity and the internal oxidation.