Na2SO4 induced corrosion of nickel at high temperature

Sodium sulfate-induced corrosion of nickel was studied at 900 C as a function of oxygen partial pressure. For high O2 partial pressures, accelerated corrosion during the first few minutes occurred by rapid penetration of the melt along the metal grain boundaries. A mechanism is proposed to explain this phenomenon. Repetitive scale metal detachment was observed for corrosion in lower O2 partial pressures and during the later period of corrosion in higher O2 partial pressures. The effect of preoxidation on the hot corrosion has also been studied. An induction period is observed before the onset of rapid corrosion for the preoxidized samples; the onset of rapid corrosion is associated with sudden cracking of the scale. The length of the induction period for the preoxidized samples is a function of the length of preoxidation, and appears to be related to the structure of the oxide scale after the preoxidation treatment.