Microstructures and Isothermal Oxidation of the Alumina Scale Forming Nb(1.45)Si(2.7)Ti(2.25)Al(3.25)Hf(0.35) and Nb(1.35)Si(2.3)Ti(2.3)Al(3.7)Hf(0.35) Alloys

Coating system(s) will be required for Nb-silicide based alloys. Alumina forming alloys that are chemically compatible with the Nb-silicide based alloy substrate could be components of such systems. The intermetallic alloys Nb(1.45)Si(2.7)Ti(2.25)Al(3.25)Hf(0.35) (MG5) and Nb(1.35)Si(2.3)Ti(2.3)Al(3.7)Hf(0.35) (MG6) were studied in the cast, heat treated and isothermally oxidised conditions at 800 and 1200 °C to find out if they are αAl(2)O(3) scale formers. A (Al/Si)(alloy) versus Nb/(Ti + Hf)(alloy) map, which can be considered to be a map for Multi-Principle Element or Complex Concentrated Nb-Ti-Si-Al-Hf alloys, and a [Nb/(Ti + Hf)](Nb5Si3) versus [Nb/(Ti + Hf)](alloy) map were constructed making use of the alloy design methodology NICE and data from a previously studied alloy, and were used to select the alloys MG5 and MG6 that were expected (i) not to pest, (ii) to form αAl(2)O(3) scale at 1200 °C, (iii) to have no solid solution, (iv) to form only hexagonal Nb(5)Si(3) and (v) to have microstructures consisting of hexagonal Nb(5)Si(3), Ti(5)Si(3), Ti(5)Si(4), TiSi silicides, and tri-aluminides and Al rich TiAl. Both alloys met the requirements (i) to (v). The alumina scale was able to self-heal at 1200 °C. Liquation in the alloy MG6 at 1200 °C was linked with the formation of a eutectic like structure and the TiAl aluminide in the cast alloy. Key to the oxidation of the alloys was the formation (i) of “composite” silicide grains in which the γNb(5)Si(3) core was surrounded by the Ti(5)Si(4) and TiSi silicides, and (ii) of tri-aluminides with high Al/Si ratio, particularly at 1200 °C and very low Nb/Ti ratio forming in-between the “composite” silicide grains. Both alloys met the “standard definition” of high entropy alloys (HEAs). Compared with HEAs with bcc solid solution and intermetallics, the VEC values of both the alloys were outside the range of reported values. The parameters VEC, Δχ and δ of Nb-Ti-Si-Al-Hf coating alloys and non-pesting Nb-silicide based alloys were compared and trends were established. Selection of coating alloys with possible “layered” structures was discussed and alloy compositions were proposed.