β-FeAl coatings containing various Cr contents of 6.5–45 wt.%were produced with a closed-field, unbalanced magnetron sputter (CFUMS)deposition technique. Cyclic oxidation tests at 1100°C in air for100 1-hr cycles and isothermal exposures at 1000°C in pure O2 for100 hr were carried out with the coatings and an as-cast FeAlspecimen. All of the coatings showed good scale-spallation resistanceduring cyclic oxidation and the coating with 6.5 wt.% Cr exhibited thelowest oxidation rates in both cyclic and isothermal oxidationexposures. After oxidation, fine-grain ridge-type oxide scales formed onthe coatings, while the oxide scale formed on the cast FeAl showed alarge quantity of θ-Al2O3 blades and large interfacial voids on thebase–alloy surface. The transformation from θ to α-Al2O3was accelerated due to the presence of Cr in the coatings. The fasttransformation considerably reduced oxidation rates, suppressed fastoutward Al diffusion for the growth of a θ-Al2O3 scale, and preventedthe formation of interfacial voids that played a major role in causing thescale spallation.
