Z. D. Xiang

Aluminide coating formation on nickel-base superalloys by pack cementation process

A detailed study was carried out to investigate the effects of pack powder compositions, coating temperature and time on the aluminide coating formation process on a superalloy CMSX-4 by pack cementation. With the aid of recently developed thermodynamic analytical tools, powder mixtures that are activated by a series of fluoride and chloride salts were analysed and the effectiveness of these activators in transferring and depositing Al was evaluated at a range of coating temperatures. The Al chloride vapours formed at coating temperatures from 900°C to 1100°C were also analysed thermodynamically as a function of Al concentration in the original pack for the powder mixtures activated by 4 wt% CrCl3·6H2O. Based on the thermochemical calculations, a series of coating experiments was carried out. Aluminide coatings were formed at temperatures from 850°C to 1100°C for periods varying from 4 hours to 8 hours using powder mixtures activated by NH4Cl, NaCl and CrCl3·6H2O and AlF3. The effects of changing Al concentration as well as adding small quantities of Cr in the powder mixtures on the coating formation process were also investigated. The aluminide coatings were analysed using a range of techniques including SEM, EDX and XRD. The relationships between the mass gain and coating thickness and structure were investigated. The experimental results were compared with the predictions from thermochemical calculations. Based on the understandings established, an effective approach to control the aluminide coating parameters and structures was identified, which made it possible to optimise powder mixture compositions and coating conditions for different coating requirements.

Co-deposition of aluminide and silicide coatings on γ-TiAl by pack cementation process

Thermochemical analyses were carried out for a series of pack powder mixtures for deposition of aluminide and for co-deposition of aluminide and silicide coatings on γ-TiAl by the pack cementation process. Based on the results obtained, experimental studies were undertaken to identify optimum pack powder mixtures for depositing adherent and coherent aluminide and silicide coatings. Pack powder mixtures activated by 2 wt% AlCl3 was used to aluminise γ-TiAl at 1000°C. With proper control of pack compositions and coating conditions, an aluminide coating of TiAl3 with a coherent structure free from microcracking was deposited on the substrate surface via inward diffusion of aluminium. The results of thermochemical calculations indicated that co-deposition of Al and Si is possible with CrCl3 · 6H2O and AlCl3 activated pack powders containing elemental Al and Si as depositing sources. Experimental results obtained at 1100°C revealed that CrCl3 · 6H2O is not suitable for use as an activator for co-depositing aluminide and silicide coatings on γ-TiAl. It caused a significant degree of degradation instead of coating deposition to the substrate. However, adherent coatings with excellent structural integrity consisting of an outer TiSi4 layer and an inner TiAl3 layer were successfully co-deposited at 1100°C and 1000°C using pack powder mixtures activated by AlCl3. IT is suggested that such coatings were formed via a sequential deposition mechanism through inward diffusion of aluminium and silicon. Discussion is presented on the issues that need to be considered to ensure the deposition of aluminide and silicide coatings with coherent structure free from microcracking on γ-TiAl by the pack cementation process.

Pack cementation process for the formation of refractory metal modified aluminide coatings on nickel-base superalloys

The vapour phase compositions of a series of pack powder mixtures containing elemental Al and Hf or W powders as depositing sources and CrCl3·6H2O or AlF3or CrF3as activators were analysed in an attempt to further develop the pack cementation process to codeposit Al and Hf or W to form diffusion coatings on nickel base superalloys. The results suggested that Al could be codeposited with Hf, but not with W, from the vapour phase. Compared with both AlF3and CrF3, CrCl3·6H2O has been shown to be a more suitable activator for codepositing Al with Hf. The optimum coating temperature was identified to be in the range of 1050°C to 1150°C. Based on the thermochemical analysis, a series of coating deposition studies were undertaken, which confirmed that codeposition of Al and Hf could be achieved at a deposition temperature of 1100°C in the CrCl3·6H2O activated packs containing elemental Al and Hf powders. The coating obtained had a multilayer structure consisting of a Ni7Hf6Al16top layer and a NiAl layer underneath, followed by a diffusion zone, which revealed that the coating was formed by the outward Ni diffusion. It is suggested that the compositions suitable for codeposition of Al and Hf could be effectively identified by comparing the vapour pressures of HfCl4and HfCl3with that of AlCl in the packs activated by chloride salts. It has also been experimentally demonstrated that, although W could not be deposited from the vapour phase, a high volume of fine W particles can be entrapped into the outer NiAl coating layer formed by the outward Ni diffusion using a modified pack configuration. This leads to the formation of a composite coating layer with W particles evenly distributed in a matrix of NiAl. It is suggested that this modified pack process could be similarly applied to develop nickel aluminide coatings containing other refractory metals that may not be codeposited with Al from the vapour phase.

Oxidation resistance of diffusion coatings formed by pack-codeposition of Al and Si on γ-TiAl

Oxidation resistance of the aluminide and silicide diffusion coatings pack-deposited on γ-TiAl were studied in air over the temperature range of 800 and 850°C for up to 4596 h. The oxidation kinetics of the coatings was monitored by intermittent weight gain measurement at room temperature. The XRD and SEM/EDS techniques were used to identify the oxide scales formed during the oxidation process and to assess the thermal stability of the coatings at the oxidising temperatures. It was revealed that the TiAl3 coating underwent preferential Al oxidation to form the Al2O3 scale in the early oxidation stage, which resulted in Al depletion and formation of TiAl2 in the subsurface of the coating. The Al depletion could not be sufficiently compensated by Al diffusion from the inner layer of the coating and eventually, in the late oxidation stage, led to the Ti oxidation and formation of the TiO2 phase in the scale. The preferential Si oxidation was the main oxidation mechanism for the coatings with an outer silicide layer and an inner TiAl3 layer with the formation of SiO2 as the stable oxide scale. The thermal stability of the coatings over the temperature range up to 850°C was discussed in relation to the high-temperature stability of diffusion couples of different coating layers.