Low-temperature aluminizing influence on degradation of nimonic 80A surface: Microstructure, wear and high temperature oxidation behaviors

Nimonic 80A alloy has been subjected to aluminizing process to improve its high temperature oxidation and wear properties. Pack aluminizing process was carried out for 3 and 5 h at 650 and 700 degrees C temperatures without using a protective atmosphere. Aluminising treatment was carried out using metallic aluminium, ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) and alumina as a filler. The morphology and structure of aluminide layers was analysed by SEM-EDS. It was observed that there was a super bonding between matrix and coating layers which are smooth, dense and porosity free. Dominant phases of Ni2Al3 and Al80Cr20 were detected by XRD analysis. Layer thickness was measured from the surface to the matrix and changed from 20 to 70 mu m which was increased with increasing process duration and temperature. The matrix hardness is 400 HVN while the hardness of coating layer raised to 1025 HVN with the process time and temperature. Wear losses decreased with the increase in coating temperature and time in both high temperature and room temperature tests. After isothermal oxidation tests at 1000 degrees C up to 75 h, all aluminized samples consist of alumina scale while Nimonic 80A consist of Cr2O3 and TiO2 mixed oxides with high thickness. The increased aluminizing temperature and time provide better protection against high temperature oxidation.