Advances in the oxidation resistance of high‐temperature turbine materials

This overview highlights some of the key factors in understanding the protective ability of aluminum oxide scales for current gas turbine engine alloys and coatings. Dense, phase‐pure, slow‐growing and adherent scales are required. In most cases, solutions have been found through educated empiricism, with more complete understanding often lagging by decades. Nevertheless, the relentless application of new techniques to answer old questions has often provided radically different viewpoints and pointed the way to new engineering developments. Equally important, this understanding prevents prior misconceptions from taking too strong a hold and maintaining a limited perspective. The microstructure, kinetics, short‐circuit diffusion, phase transformation, growth and residual stresses, interfacial segregation and adhesion provide a richness of topics for this singular and effective system.