Interplay of water and reactive elements in oxidation of alumina-forming alloys
Journal article, 2018

High-temperature alloys are crucial to many important technologies that underpin our civilization. All these materials rely on forming an external oxide layer (scale) for corrosion protection. Despite decades of research on oxide scale growth, many open questions remain, including the crucial role of the so-called reactive elements and water. Here, we reveal the hitherto unknown interplay between reactive elements and water during alumina scale growth, causing a metastable ‘messy’ nano-structured alumina layer to form. We propose that reactive-element-decorated, hydroxylated interfaces between alumina nanograins enable water to access an inner cathode in the bottom of the scale, at odds with the established scale growth scenario. As evidence, hydride-nanodomains and reactive element/hydrogen (deuterium) co-variation are observed in the alumina scale. The defectrich alumina subsequently recrystallizes to form a protective scale. First-principles modelling is also performed to validate the RE effect. Our findings open up promising avenues in oxidation research and suggest ways to improve alloy properties.

Corrosion protection

Alumina

Aluminum oxide

Alloy properties

Alumina layers

Scale (deposits)

Author

Nooshin Mortazavi Seyedeh

Student at Chalmers

Christine Geers

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material

Mohsen Esmaily

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material

Vedad Babic

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material

Mohammad Sattari

Chalmers, Physics, Materials Microstructure

Kristina Lindgren

Chalmers, Physics, Materials Microstructure

Per Malmberg

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Bo Jönsson

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material

Mats Halvarsson

Chalmers, Physics, Materials Microstructure

Jan-Erik Svensson

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material

Itai Panas

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material

Lars-Gunnar Johansson

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material

Nature Materials

1476-1122 (ISSN) 1476-4660 (eISSN)

Vol. 17 7 610-617

Driving Forces

Sustainable development

Areas of Advance

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Materials Science

Roots

Basic sciences

Subject Categories

Other Materials Engineering

Metallurgy and Metallic Materials

Corrosion Engineering

Infrastructure

Chalmers Materials Analysis Laboratory

DOI

10.1038/s41563-018-0105-6

More information

Latest update

4/5/2022 6