High-Temperature Corrosion Behavior of a Nickel-Based Superalloy in HCl-Containing Atmosphere

doi:10.11900/0412.1961.2023.00070

Acta Metall Sin

2025, Vol. 61

Issue (5): 770-782 DOI: 10.11900/0412.1961.2023.00070

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High-Temperature Corrosion Behavior of a Nickel-Based Superalloy in HCl-Containing Atmosphere

ZHOU Yiming¹^,², HAN Yongjun³, XIE Guang²(

), ZHENG Wei², XIAO Yanbin³, PAN Yang³, ZHANG Jian²(

)

1 School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Shenyang 110016, China
2 Shi -changxu Innovation Center for Advanced Materials, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
3 The 705 Research Institute of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited, Xi'an 710077, China

Cite this article:

ZHOU Yiming, HAN Yongjun, XIE Guang, ZHENG Wei, XIAO Yanbin, PAN Yang, ZHANG Jian. High-Temperature Corrosion Behavior of a Nickel-Based Superalloy in HCl-Containing Atmosphere. Acta Metall Sin, 2025, 61(5): 770-782.

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Abstract

Superalloys are widely used in aviation, aerospace, energy, transportation, and petrochemical industries due to their excellent properties, such as high-temperature strength, plasticity, fracture toughness, oxidation resistance, and hot corrosion resistance. They are primarily employed in aircraft engines and gas turbines within aviation, marine, and power generation sectors. Furthermore, due to the unique properties of superalloys and continuous advancements of superalloy technology, their applications are expanding into increasingly extreme service environments. In order to simulate the harsh working conditions of materials under high temperature and high concentration HCl environment, the hot corrosion behavior of a nickel-based superalloy was investigated at 960 ^oC in a mixed atmosphere of 5%HCl + 0.5%O₂ + Ar (volume fraction) using XRD, SEM, EDS, and EPMA techniques. Hot corrosion tests were conducted for 200 h. Analysis of corrosion kinetics, types and distribution of corrosion products, and cross-sectional elemental mapping revealed two distinct stages (0-75 h and 75-200 h), both showing an initial increase followed by a decrease in corrosion rate. Volatile chlorides containing Mo, Ti, and Cr formed extensively. The corrosion layer exhibited a poorly protective (Cr, Ti)-rich oxide layer, while no continuous Al₂O₃ layer was observed. The Ta-rich spinel layer inhibited outward diffusion of metal ions. The corrosion layer of the experimental alloy did not exhibit any significant chloride concentration on its cross-section. In addition to HCl and O₂ in the atmosphere, Cl₂ generated through chlorination and oxidation processes reacted with the alloy and played an important role in accelerating oxidation at 960 ^oC, without evidence of intermediate-temperature activated oxidation.

Key words: nickel-based superalloy high-temperature HCl-containing corrosion chlorination oxidation chloride

Received: 20 February 2023

ZTFLH:

TG132.3

Fund: National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFA1600603);Science Center for Gas Turbine Project(P2022-C-IV-001-001);National Natural Science Foundation of China(52271042);National Natural Science Foundation of China(51911530154);National Natural Science Foundation of China(91860201);National Natural Science Foundation of China(U2141206);National Science and Technology Major Project(J2019-VI-0010-0124)

Corresponding Authors: XIE Guang, professor, Tel: (024)23748882, E-mail: gxie@imr.ac.cn;
ZHANG Jian, professor, Tel: (024)23911196, E-mail: jianzhang@imr.ac.cn

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	ZHOU Yiming
	HAN Yongjun
	XIE Guang
	ZHENG Wei
	XIAO Yanbin
	PAN Yang
	ZHANG Jian

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https://www.ams.org.cn/EN/10.11900/0412.1961.2023.00070 OR https://www.ams.org.cn/EN/Y2025/V61/I5/770

Fig.1 Schematic of hot corrosion test specimen (unit: mm)

Fig.2 Schematic of high-temperature HCl-containing corrosion test equipment

Fig.3 SEM images of the nickel-based superalloy after heat treatment
(a) grain
(b) carbides and eutectic
(c) γ and γ' phases

Fig.4 Mass change vs time for nickel-based superalloy after corrosion in 5%HCl-containing atmosphere for 0-200 h at 960 ^oC and piecewise fitting results (t—corrosion time)

Fig.5 Surface macrostructures for nickel-based superalloy after corroded in 5%HCl-containing atmosphere for 25 h (a), 50 h (b), 75 h (c), 100 h (d), and 200 h (e) at 960 ^oC

Fig.6 Changes of spalling area on the surface of nickel-based superalloy with corrosion time

Fig.7 XRD spectra of the corrosion products on the surface of nickel-based superalloy (a) and macro morphology (b) and XRD spectra (c) of volatile corrosion products on the equipment condensing end after corrosion in 5%HCl-containing atmosphere for different time at 960 ^oC

Table 1 Phases identified by XRD of the corrosion products for nickel-based superalloy after corrosion in 5%HCl-containing atmosphere at 960 ^oC for different time

Fig.8 SEM backscattered electron (BSE) images of the surface of nickel-based superalloy after corroded in 5%HCl-containing atmosphere for 25 h (a), 50 h (b), 75 h (c), 100 h (d), and 200 h (e) at 960 ^oC

Fig.9 Cross sectional SEM-BSE images of nickel-based superalloy after corrosion in 5%HCl-containing atmosphere for 25 h (a), 50 h (b), 75 h (c), 100 h (d), and 200 h (e) at 960 ^oC (TCP—topologically close-packed)

Fig.10 Change of the thickness of corrosion products with corrosion time

Fig.11 Cross sectional SEM-BSE images showing the internal oxidation morphologies along grain boundaries for nickel-based superalloy after corroded for 75 h (a), 100 h (b), and 200 h (c)

Fig.12 Cross sectional SEM-BSE images and corresponding EPMA element maps of the nickel-based superalloy afte corroded in 5%HCl-containing atmosphere for 25 h (a), 50 h (b), 75 h (c), and 100 h (d) at 960 ^oC

Fig.13 Gibbs free energy differences (ΔG) for different elements M at different temperatures (2n is the valence state of metal ion)
(a)

1 2 n

M + HCl =

1 2 n

MCl₂_n +

12

H₂
(b) M + nCl₂ = MCl₂_n

Fig.14 ΔG for oxidation and chlorination of Al, Ti, and Cr at 960 ^oC

Table 2 Melting points (T_m) and boiling points (T_b) of chlorides corresponding to the nickel-based superalloy^[23]

Fig.15 ΔG for oxidation of different chlorides at 960 ^oC

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