A Microstructural and Kinetic Investigation of the KCl-Induced Corrosion of an FeCrAl Alloy at 600 °C

The corrosion behaviour of a FeCrAl alloy was investigated at 600 °C in O2 + H2O with solid KCl applied. A kinetics and microstructural investigation showed that KCl accelerates corrosion and that potassium chromate formation depletes the protective scale in Cr, thus triggering the formation of a fast-growing iron-rich scale. Iron oxide was found to grow both inward and outward, on either side of the initial oxide. A chromia layer is formed with time underneath the iron oxide. It was found that although the alloy does not form a continuous pure alumina scale at the investigated temperature, aluminium is, however, always enriched at the oxide/alloy interface.