Theoretical and experimental analysis of selective oxide and nitride formation in Fe–Al alloys

•Internal oxide and nitride formation in Fe–Al alloys is studied.•Steel slab reheating conditions.•Corrosion depth and formed phases determined using SEM/EDX and XRD.•Numerical simulation of the phase distribution is calculated.•Sub-surface oxide bands were found in several samples.

Selective oxidation experiments of four iron-aluminum model alloys, containing 1–8 wt.% Al, at temperatures up to 1285 °C have been performed. The total corrosion depth and composition of formed nitride and oxide phases have been analyzed by means of SEM/EDX and XRD. Experimental findings and the interplay between formed oxide and nitride phases were compared to theoretical predictions from numerical simulations and critically discussed.Conditions for the formation of a continuous oxide band underneath the sample surface will be highlighted, which represent a critical parameter window in industrial processes that may lead to severe mechanical damage during rolling.