Exploring the Effect of Silicon on the High Temperature Corrosion of Lean FeCrAl Alloys in Humid Air

Abstract A new approach to reduce the chromium and aluminium concentrations in FeCrAl alloys without significantly impairing corrosion resistance is to alloy with 1–2 wt.% silicon. This paper investigates the “silicon effect” on oxidation by comparing the oxidation behavior and scale microstructure of two FeCrAl alloys, one alloyed with silicon and the other not, in dry and wet air at 600 °C and 800 °C. Both alloys formed thin protective oxide scales and the Cr-evaporation rates were small. In wet air at 800 °C the Si-alloyed FeCrAl formed an oxide scale containing mullite and tridymite together with α- and γ-alumina. It is suggested that the reported improvement of the corrosion resistance of Al- and Cr-lean FeCrAl’s by silicon alloying is caused by the appearance of Si-rich phases in the scale.