Corrosion of Multilayered TiAlSiN Films at 800–1000 °C in N2/0.1%H2S Gas

• Published in: Metals and materials international Vol. 27; no. 9; pp. 3260 - 3268
• Main Authors: Hahn, Junhee, Abro, Muhammad Ali, Xiao, Xiao, Lee, Dong Bok
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Seoul The Korean Institute of Metals and Materials 01.09.2021; Springer Nature B.V; 대한금속·재료학회
• Subjects: Aluminum oxide; Arc deposition; Bonding strength; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Corrosion; Corrosion resistance; Corrosion tests; Diffusion rate; Engineering Thermodynamics; Heat and Mass Transfer; Hydrogen sulfide; Ion plating; Machines; Magnetic Materials; Magnetism; Manufacturing; Materials Science; Metallic Materials; Oxidation; Oxygen; Processes; Scale (corrosion); Silicon; Solid Mechanics; Spallation; Thin films; Titanium; Titanium dioxide; Whiskers (metals); 재료공학; H; Arc ion plating; Oxidation; TiAlSiN film; S gas corrosion
• ISSN: 1598-9623; 2005-4149
• DOI: 10.1007/s12540-020-00665-1

A multilayered TiAlSiN thin film consisting of alternating nanocrystalline Ti(Si)N and Al(Si)N nanolayers was deposited on steel by arc ion plating. The film composition was 26Ti–16.3Al–1.2Si–56.50N in at%. The film was corroded at 800–1000 °C for 4–100 h in N 2 /0.1%H 2 S gas to study its corrosion behavior in hostile (H, S)-containing environments. The corrosion was primarily governed by oxidation, because oxides of Ti and Al were much more stable than the corresponding sulfides. The oxygen source for oxidation was impurity oxygen in N 2 /0.1%H 2 S gas. Initially, a superficial Al 2 O 3 scale formed. Soon, the scale developed into the outer TiO 2 -rich layer and the inner Al 2 O 3 -rich layer, beneath which formed an oxygen affected zone. As corrosion progressed, Si tended to accumulate in the lower part of the inner Al 2 O 3 -rich layer owing to its thermodynamic nobility. Preferential oxidation of Al to Al 2 O 3 , formation of fine, dense Al 2 O 3 and TiO 2 grains in the oxide scale, and strong Ti–Si, Al–N and Ti–N bonds in the TiAlSiN film caused the scale to grow quite slowly and suppressed fast inward diffusion of sulfur and hydrogen as well as fast outward diffusion of Ti, Al, and Si. Therefore, the film displayed good corrosion resistance at 800–900 °C for up to 100 h. However, it corroded completely, with partial scale spallation and whisker growth at 1000 °C for 50 h. Graphic Abstract