Water vapor can be detrimental to the elevated temperature oxidation resistance of alloys which rely on the formation of a protective chromium oxide layer. The resulting degradation can be significant, particularly when such alloys are at light gauge. Long term test results will be presented for both stainless steels and nickel-base superalloys exposed at elevated temperatures in environments containing various levels of water vapor.
Keywords: elevated temperature oxidation, nickel–base superalloys, stainless steels, water vapor