The studies of scale surface produced on outer diffusion layers

In this study at attempt was made to examine the scale formed on ferritic-austenitic duplex type steel subjected to previous thermo-chemical treatment. The treatment consisted in diffusion aluminising in a metallising mixture composed of Fe-Al powder. As an activator, ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl) added in an amount of 2 wt.% was used. Then, both the base material and samples with the diffusion-deposited surface layers were oxidised at 1000°C in the air. Thus formed scales were identified by light microscopy, SEM and X-ray phase analysis. The aim of the oxidation tests carried out under isothermal conditions was to compare the scale morphology when obtained on untreated substrate material and on the surface layers rich in aluminium.