Evaluation of corrosion resistance of aluminium coating with and without annealing against molten carbonate using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

An arc ion plating (AIP) was used to fabricate a FeAl layer on 310S stainless steel to protect the sealing area being corroded by the molten carbonate in molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs). The degradation of aluminide coatings comes from both the corrosion of the coating in contact with the molten carbonate and the aluminium depletion due to the interdiffusion of aluminium and the substrate. The in-situ forming of aluminide in molten carbonate at 650 °C could be a possible way to reduce the inward diffusion of aluminium in the conventional pre-annealing at 850 °C. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements were performed to model the corrosion of this pre-formed FeAl coating in comparison with the one formed in-situ in molten (0.62 Li+0.38 K)2CO3 at 650 °C. Although α-LiAlO2 is the corrosion product in both cases, the impedance spectra show distinct rate-limiting steps; the former is controlled by the charged particles passing through the scale, while the latter by their diffusion in the melt. The microstructure of the scale might be the reason for the difference in corrosion mechanism.