Characterization of oxide layers of heat-resisting alloys in oxidizing and oxidizing/sulfidizing atmospheres by deuterium permeation measurement

Deuterium permeation measurements are suitable to characterize the integrity of layers, which are preoxidized or in-situ oxidized on high temperature alloys. The permeation through metal alloys with a growing oxidized layer is described by a model with a time dependence of the permeation flux related to the growth of the oxide layer. The behaviour of the layers, which are oxidized at different oxidizing atmospheres, are investigated in this work. By permeation test, parabolic rate constants, impeding factors, as well as permeability, diffusivity and the solubility of deuterium for the oxide layers are obtained. The measurement are continued in sulfidizing atmosphere for testing such layers as corrosion barrier. In correlation with microstructural post examinations it is found that permeation measurement can be utilized as a method for investigating high-temperature corrosion. (orig.)