The influence of silicon on the corrosion properties of FeCrAl model alloys in oxidizing environments at 600 °C

The present study investigates the influence of Si on the high temperature corrosion behaviour of FeCrAl model alloys in O2, O2+H2O and O2+H2O + KCl at 600 °C for up to 168 h. The investigation by SEM/EDX showed that all alloys displayed a protective behaviour in dry O2. In the more corrosive environments (O2+H2O and O2+H2O + KCl) the addition of Si affected the oxidation properties in two ways; Alloys containing Si resisted breakaway oxidation caused by Cr-evaporation (O2+H2O) and the thickness of the oxide formed after breakaway oxidation decreased with increasing amount of Si (O2+H2O + KCl).