Characterization and hot corrosion behavior of D-gun sprayed Cr₂O₃-75% Al₂O₃ coated ASTM-SA210-A1 boiler steel in molten salt environment

Hot corrosion is the major degradation mechanism of failure of boiler and gas turbine components. The present work aims to investigate the hot corrosion resistance of detonation gun sprayed (D-gun) Cr₂O₃-75 per cent Al₂O₃ ceramic coating on ASTM-SA210-A1 boiler steel.

The coating exhibits nearly uniform, adherent and dense microstructure with porosity less than 0.8 per cent. Thermogravimetry technique is used to study the high temperature hot corrosion behavior of bare and coated boiler steel in molten salt environment (Na₂SO₄-60 per cent V₂O₅) at high temperature 900°C for 50 cycles. The corrosion products are analyzed by using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and field emission scanning electron microscope/energy-dispersive analysis (EDAX) to reveal their microstructural and compositional features for elucidating the corrosion mechanisms.

During investigations, it was found that the Cr₂O₃-75 per cent Al₂O₃ coating on Grade A-1 boiler steel is found to be very effective in decreasing the corrosion rate in the molten salt environment at 900°C. The coating has shown lesser weight gains along with better adhesiveness of the oxide scales with the substrate till the end of the experiment. Thus, coatings serve as an effective diffusion barrier to preclude the diffusion of oxygen from the environment into the substrate boiler steel.

Therefore, it is concluded that the better hot corrosion resistance of the coating is due to the formation of desirable microstructural features such as very low porosity, uniform fine grains and the flat splat structures in the coating; as compared to the bare substrate under cyclic conditions.

This research is useful for coal-fired boilers and other power plant boilers.

This research is useful for power generation plants.

There is no reported literature on hot corrosion behavior of Cr₂O₃-75 per cent Al₂O₃ coating deposited on the selected substrates by D-gun spray technique. The present work has been focused to study the influence of the Cr₂O₃-75 per cent Al₂O₃ coating developed with D-gun spraying technique on high temperature corrosion behavior of ASTM-SA210-A-1 boiler steel in an aggressive environment of Na₂SO₄-60 per cent V₂O₅ molten salt at 900°C under cyclic conditions.