Mixed Sulfidation/Carburization Attack on Several Heat-Resistant Alloys at 900°C

A sulfidation/carburization study of seven commercial heat-resistant alloyswas carried out at 900°C in a H2–25 vol.%CH4–14.8N2–4CO–0.6CO2–0.6H2Satmosphere. The equilibrium partial pressures for oxygen (O2) andsulfur (S2) were 1.1×10−22 and 4.1×10−8 atm,respectively, and the carbon activity for this system was unity. The time ofexposure was 500 hr. Relatively thick, mixed sulfide scales were formed onall of the alloys tested. In addition, internal carburization occurred inall of the alloys. Using metal loss (i.e., the reduction in samplethickness) plus internal attack (internal sulfidation plus internalcarburization) as a performance criterion, an alloy with a nominalcomposition of Ni–29 wt.% Co–28Cr–2.75Si performed thebest, showing 0.71 mm of attack. An alloy with a nominal composition ofFe–20 wt.% Ni–25Cr performed the worst, being totally consumedby the test (>3.18 mm of attack). Alloys containing relatively highamounts of silicon (>2.5%) showed a dramatic increase in theirsulfidation resistance compared to the other alloys containing lowersilicon contents. The amount of iron present within a given material playeda dominant role in the carburization attack that occurred, with as expected,high-iron alloys showing significant internal carburization because of ahigh solubility and diffusivity of carbon in the matrix. The importance ofthe various alloying elements with respect to sulfidation and carburizationresistance is discussed.