354

Corrosion and Wear Characteristics of Nickel Aluminide,

NiAI, in NaCI Medium

F. A. Elrefaie, H. A. Ahmed, M. M. I. Ahmed

Cairo University
Giza Egypt

and K. E. Mohamed
Atomic Energy Authority
Inchas Egypt

ABSTRACT
The corrosion behaviour of nickel aluminide, Ni-Al, in 3% NaCl aqueous
solution is investigated using electrochemical techniques. The wear
resistance of this alloy in the abrasive 3% NaCl + fine sand medium
is also studied. The cathodic and anodic regions of this aluminide
are determined in the temperature range 25-65 oc. The corrosion behaviour
of NiAl is controlled by Al-forming compounds. The corrosion potentials
as well as the polarization resistance are obtained. The electrochemical
measurements indicated also that this phase shows no active-passive
transition in the 3% NaCl solution and suffers passivating film breakdown.
Over the investigated temperature range, NiAl is susceptable to pitting.
Optical micrography supported the occurrence of pits. The wear resistance
of this material is proved to be higher than the Ni-5% Al y solid solution.

KEYWORDS
NiAl aluminide, corrosion, wear, NaCl aquous solution.

INTRODUCTION
Nickel-superalloys are used as structural materials. These alloys are
often protected by nickel aluminide coatings NiAl, Ni3Al and NizA13
intermetallic phases [1-4] to improve oxidation as well as wear resis-
tance [5-13]. However, the corrosion behaviour of these phases in humid
and aqueous media has not been systematically studied. Therefore, this
work is designed to investigate the corrosion aspects of NiAl phase
in 3% NaCl sol uti on at different temperature; the wear resistance of
this phase is also determined in the abrasive 3% NaCl + fine sand aqueous
medium.

S. A. Meguid (ed.), Surface Engineering

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrect 1990
 355

EXPERIMENTAL
The intermetall ic compound NiAl was prepared by electric arc melting
of nickel {99.99 wt% pure) and 99.99% purity aluminium under argon atmos-
phere. The melt is then casted as cylinder, 10 em long and 1 em diameter,
in water-cooled copper hearth. Discs, 0.1 em thick and 1 em diameter,
were then sectioned from the casted rod by using spark cutter. The
disc samples were then annealed at 1200°C for 24 h under flowing argon
atmosphere then metallographically polished finishing with 11J diameter
paste. X-ray diffractometry and atomic absorption analyses indicated
that the stoichiometric NiAl phase is the only existing phase in these
samples.
The corrosion characteristics of the NiAl intermetall ic phase have
been obtai ned by using the standardized potenti odynami c procedure.
A Wenking potentioscan Model Pos. 73 in parallel with a Philips, P.M-
8120, X-V recorder is used in this investigation. The scanning range
was set from -500 mV to +500 mV versus saturated calomel electrode (SCE)
while the scanning rate was 1 mV/sec.
The wear test was conducted using a ll]agneti c stirrer apparatus.
The testing medium was 3% NaCl + 5% sand abrasive medium. The kinetic
behaviour is determined by weighing the sample before and after testing
for different periods of time. Optical metallography is used to examine
the surface microstructure of tested samples.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The potentiodynamic polarization curves for the NiAl intermetallic phase
in 3% NaCl solution at temperature in the range 25°C to 65°C are obtained;
these curves are illustrated in Figs. 1-3. It is clear from these figures
that the corrosion behaviour of the NiAl phase under these conditions
is characterized by the existence of passivating film breakdown phenomenon
at potentials higher than the free corrosion potential, Ecorr'
by"' 80-100 mV.
The corrosion behaviour of pure Ni and Al is previously studied [3,4].
Nickel shows active-passive transition while aluminium corrosion behaviour
is similar to the NiAl intermetallic phase, i.e. active-passive transition
is not observed while passivating film breakdown occurs. This indicates
that the active anodic behaviour is controlled by aluminium in the inter-
metallic phase.
The values of the electrochemical parameters obtained during the
potentiodynamic tests for samples subjected to different temperatures
are given in Table 1.
It is clear from this table that upon increasing the temperature,
the free corrosion potential and the breakdown potential of the passive
layer increases, while the polarization resistance decreases. The polariza-
tion resistance decreases with temperature clearly indicates that the
corrosion process is initially controlled by thermally activated process.
 356

0.000

>
-a
~ -0.200
II

.f
-0.400

-0.600

10 1 102 103 104 105 10 6 107 108

Current density, nA/cm 2

Figure 1. Potentiodynamic polarization curve for NiAl intermetallic phase

in 3% NaCl aqueous solution at 25°C.

>
0'
~ +0.400
II

.f

Current Density, nA/cm 2

Figure 2. Potentiodynamic polarization curve for the NiAl intermetallic

phase in 3% NaCl aqueous solution at 40°C.
 357

>
.
c:;:::
1:
....0Gl
a.

Current Density, nA/cm 2

Figure 3. Potentiodynamic polarization curve for the NiAl intermetallic

phase in 3% NaCl aqueous solution at 65°C.

TABLE 1
Effect of temperature on the corrosion parameters of NiAl intermetallic
phase in 3% NaCl aqueous solution:
Ecorr =free corrosion potential; Rp =polarization resistance;
Ep = passivating film breakdown potential.

Temperature (°C) Ecorr (mV)

25 -460 6.4 X 10 3 -300

40 -315 3. 7 X 10 3 -200
65 -260 2. 0 X 10 3 -180

The free corrosion potential increase with temperature may be ex-

plained on the basis of less stability of formed passive phases as the
temperature increases; thus, the immunity range of the intermetallic
phase increases.
 358

Though the passivating film breakdown potential increases with

temperature, the passivation interval between Ecorr and Ep decreases
with increasing temperature; this means that the NiAl phase shows a
greater susceptibility to pitting corrosion at higher temperature.
Pits were formed at a11 temperatures, Fig. 4; however, at high tempera-
ture the population and size of pits were larger than at lower tempera-
ture which supports a greater susceptibility of the intermetallic NiAl
phase as temperature increases.

(a) (b)

Figure. 4 Pitting morphology formed at: a) 25°C (lOOX), b) 65°C (lOOX).

The wear resistance curve of the NiAl intermetallic phase in 3%

NaCl and 5% fine sand medium is shown in the kinetic curve, weight loss
versus time, of Fig. 5. On the same figure the wear resistance of as
casted Ni-5% Al y solid solution phase is illustrated. Figure 6 illus-
trates the wear resistance of NiAl as compared to heat treated solid
solution phase. It is clear from both figures that the wear resistance
of the Ni A1 i ntermeta ll i c phase is better than cas ted Ni -5% y so 1i d
solution phase. The NiAl phase has shown similar wear resistance as
Ni-5% Al y solid solution phase annealed at 900°C.

CONCLUSIONS
The corrosion behaviour of NiAl intermetall ic phase in 3% NaCl aquous
solution over the temperature range 25°C < T < 65°C is controlled by
aluminium-phase formation and dissolution. This phase shows no active-
passive transition behaviour; since passivating film breakdown occurs.
The intermetall ic NiAl phase is susceptable to pitting corrosion in
the 3% NaCl solution at all temperatures; this susceptibility increases
with temperature . The NiAl phase shows higher wear resistance in the
abrasive 3% NaCl + 5% fine sand medium than the Ni-5% Al y solid solution
phase.
 359

x Ni-5 wt t AI (as casted)

o NIAI phose

i:
E
.......
CD
E
.,~
0
-'
...
L
CD
•t;
?::
.,
...
~
0
"ii
a:: 0.1

Time, h

Figure 5. The relative weight loss of the NiAl intermetallic phase as

compared to the as-casted Ni-5 wt% y solid solution in the
agressive 3% NaCl + 5% fine sand aqueous medium at 25°C.
e Ni AI phase
A Ni-5 wt % AI y solid
solution annealed
at 800°C for 1 hr
4.0 x Ni-5 wt % AI y
N

E solution annealed
{ at 900°C for
1 hr
E
.,~ 3.0
0

...
-'
L
CD
"Qj
?:: 2. .o
Q)
>
:;:
0
"'ii
a::
1.0

0.0 "-=...::::.--.......L..-----..__
0 20 40
Time, h
Figure 6. The relative weight loss of NiAl phase as compared to heat
treated Ni-5 wt% Al y solid solution in the agressive 3%
NaCl + 5% fine sand aqueous medium at 25°C.
 360

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