The steady-state corrosion kinetics of two-phase binary alloys forming the most-stable oxide

The steady-state kinetics in the high-temperature oxidation of binary A-B alloys containing a mixture of the conjugated solid solutions of B in A (alpha phase) and A in B (beta phase) with exclusive formation of the most-stable oxide BOv have been examined, assuming that the external scale grows on top of a subsurface layer of alpha phase. The results obtained are compared with the corresponding behavior of alloys which are single phase in the whole range of composition. Under identical values of all the parameters involved the concentration of B at the alloy-scale interface is smaller for two-phase than for single-phase alloys under the same concentration of B in the alloy as a result of the restricted flux of B through the alpha-phase layer. As a consequence of this, the two-phase alloys corrode more slowly than single-phase alloys and this difference increases as the solubility of B in the alpha phase decreases. Finally, the simultaneous formation of BOv both externally and as internal oxide is more likely for two-phase than for single-phase materials.