Oxidation and intergranular disintegration of the aluminides NiAl and NbAl3 and phases in the system Nb-Ni-Al

The oxidation behavior is very different for an aluminide with a wide homogeneity range such as -NiAl than for a line compound such as NbAl ₃.Oxidation of -NiAl at temperatures 1273 K leads to a slow-growing -alumina layer. The metal phase beneath the scale remains as -NiAl; however, cavity formation is observed. The cavity formation may be favored by sulphur surface segregation. Oxidation of NbAl ₃ at temperatures 1273 K initially leads to -Al ₂O₃,but the Al depletion causes the formation of Nb ₂ Al beneath the oxide layer. Cracking of the Al ₂O₃ layer opens Nb ₂ Al to the atmosphere, which oxidizes rapidly to Nb ₂O₅ and NbAlO₄.After consumption of the Nb ₂ Al, a layer of Al ₂O₃ formed again on the NbAl ₃ phase, but failure of the alumina and the fast growth of the other oxides occur as a repeated process. Thus, NbAl ₃ exhibited rapid linear oxidation kinetics. Multiphase alloys in the system Nb-Ni-Al generally behave better than NbAl ₃,and the low oxidation rates of -NiAl can be approached. In the temperature range below 1273 K, with a maximum at 1000 K, both NiAl and NbAl ₃ show the pest phenomenon, an intergranular disintegration. Preceding the disintegration, oxygen diffuses into the grain boundaries of the material and Al ₂O₃ is formed at the grain boundaries, beginning from the surface region. NiAl is susceptible only in a very limited range of oxygen pressures and temperatures, whereas NbAl ₃ is much more susceptible.