Pack cementation diffusion coatings for Fe-base and refractory alloys. Final report

With the aid of computer-assisted calculations of the equilibrium vapor pressures in halide-activated cementation packs, processing conditions have been identified and experimentally verified for the codeposition of two or more alloying elements in a diffusion coating on a variety of steels and refractory metal alloys. A new comprehensive theory to treat the multi-component thermodynamic equilibria in the gas phase for several coexisting solid phases was developed and used. Many different processes to deposit various types of coatings on several types of steels were developed: Cr-Si codeposition for low- or medium-carbon steels, Cr-Al codeposition on low-carbon steels to yield either a Kanthal-type composition (Fe-25Cr-4Al in wt.%) or else a (Fe, Cr){sub 3}Al surface composition. An Fe{sub 3}Al substrate was aluminized to achieve an FeAl surface composition, and boron was also added to ductilize the coating. The developmental Cr-lean ORNL alloys with exceptional creep resistance were Cr-Al coated to achieve excellent oxidation resistance. Alloy wires of Ni-base were aluminized to provide an average composition of Ni{sub 3}Al for use as welding rods. Several different refractory metal alloys based on Cr-Cr{sub 2}Nb have been silicided, also with germanium additions, to provide excellent oxidation resistance. A couple of developmental Cr-Zr alloys were similarly coated and tested