Growth Kinetics and Isothermal Oxidation Behavior of Aluminide Pack Coatings on a Multiphase Mo–Si–B Alloy

Refractory metal alloys, such as Mo–Si–B systems, can extend high-temperature capability more than commercial Ni-based superalloys, but Mo–Si–B alloys require surface coatings to improve their poor oxidation resistance. In this study, aluminide coating layers were created on Mo–3Si–1B (wt%) alloys by pack cementation with NH4Cl, Al and Al2O3 powder. The aluminide coating layers consisted of MoAl4, Mo3Al8, and precipitates. The growth kinetics of the coating layers were estimated by identifying diffusion behaviors. The aluminide coating layer growth constant (k0) was estimated as ~ 741.3 μm/h0.5, and the activation energy (Q) for the growth of the diffusion coating layer was evaluated as ~ 44.2 kJ/mol for the examined coating temperatures of 800, 900 and 1000 °C. The thicknesses of the coating layers calculated by an estimated kinetic equation were compared with the experimental results. The coating layer successfully protected the Mo–Si–B substrate during isothermal oxidation at 1400 °C under an air atmosphere. The growth kinetics of the coated layer and oxidation behaviors were discussed in terms of microstructural analyses.