Microstructure and hot corrosion behaviors of two Co modified aluminide coatings on a Ni-based superalloy at 700 °C

Two Co modified aluminide coatings with different Co contents were prepared by pack cementation process and above-the-pack process. The hot corrosion tests of the two coatings were performed in mixed salts of 75 wt.% Na2SO4 + 25 wt.% K2SO4 and 75 wt.% Na2SO4 + 25 wt.% NaCl at 700 °C, with a simple aluminide coating as the reference coating. X-Ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) were used to characterize the coatings and the corrosion scales. Results indicate that the addition of Co improves the hot corrosion resistance of the simple aluminide coating in the mixed sulfate salts, for the sulfide as well as its eutectic of cobalt are more stable, and possess higher melting points than those of nickel. While in the mixed salt containing chloride, the coating with medium Co content possesses the best corrosion resistance, primarily because the nitrides formed in the deposition process deteriorate the corrosion resistance of the coating with highest Co content.