A new nickel-base high-temperature alloy, “alloy 10 Al”, which contains 30% iron, 10 % aluminium and 8 % chromium, has been developed. Alloy 10 Al has a lamellar eutectic two-phase microstructure with one phase being the intermetallic phase NiAl and the second phase being Ni(Fe,Cr) solid solution. The high-temperature corrosion behaviour of the new alloy has been determined in both air and hot process gases containing methane, sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulphlde, respectively. It was found that the corrosion resistance against carburization, sulphidation and oxidation was excellent due to the formation of a dense protective alumina scale. The adherence of the alumina scale was increased by an addition of 0.1% hafnium. The concentration of chromium was found to have a remarkable impact on oxidation and high temperature corrosion resistance. Alloys without chromium showed an increased corrosion rate in both air and sulphur-containing gas atmospheres due to the initial formation of nickel oxides. In sulphidizing gases at least 4 % chromium are required to stabilize the formation of alumina and to prevent the formation of nickel/sulphur compounds.
Keywords: high temperature corrosion, sulphidation, carburization, oxidation, alumina scales, alloy 10AI, coal conversion, nickel-base alloy