Resistance of nanocrystalline vis-à-vis microcrystalline Fe–Cr alloys to environmental degradation and challenges to their synthesis

This paper presents a hypothesis and its experimental validation that a nanostructure can bring about dramatic improvements in the oxidation/corrosion resistance of iron–chromium alloys. More specifically, a nanocrystalline Fe–10 wt% Cr alloy was found to undergo oxidation at a rate that was an order of magnitude lower than its microcrystalline counterpart. Importantly, the oxidation resistance of nanocrystalline Fe–10 wt% Cr alloy was comparable with that of the common corrosion-resistant microcrystalline stainless steels (having 18–20 wt% chromium). The findings have the potential of leading to the next generation of oxidation-resistant alloys. However, due to poor thermal stability of nanocrystalline structure, synthesis/processing of such alloys is a challenge. Discs of nanocrystalline Fe–10% Cr alloy were produced by ball-milling of Fe and Cr powders and compaction of the powder without considerable grain growth by processing within a suitable time–temperature window. The paper also presents a theoretical treatise to arrive at the minimum chromium content required for establishing a protective layer of chromium oxide in an Fe–Cr alloy of a given nanometric grain size.

Processing and excellent oxidation resistance of nanocrystalline Fe-Cr alloys

Nanocrystalline and microcrystalline Fe-10Cr alloys were prepared by high energy ball milling followed by compaction and sintering, and then oxidized in air for 52 hours at 400ºC. The oxidation resistance of nanocrystalline Fe-10Cr alloy as determined by measuring the weight gain after regular time intervals was compared with that of the microcrystalline alloy of same chemical composition (also prepared by the same processing route and oxidized under identical conditions). Oxidation resistance of nanocrystalline Fe10Cr alloy was found to be in excess of an order of magnitude superior than that of microcrystalline Fe10Cr alloy. The paper also presents results of secondary ion mass spectrometry of oxidized samples of nanocrystalline and microcrystalline Fe-Cr alloys, evidencing the formation of a more protective oxide scale in the nanocrystalline alloy.