Investigation on Mechanical Property and Adhesion of Oxide Films Formed on Ni and Ni-Co Alloy in Room and High Temperature Environments

Material degradation such as high temperature oxidation of metallic material is a severe problem in energy generation systems or manufacturing industries. The metallic materials are oxidized to form oxide films in high temperature environments. The oxide films act as diffusion barriers of oxygen and metal ions and thereafter decrease oxidation rates of metals. The metal oxidation is, however, accelerated by mechanical fracture and spalling of the oxide films caused by thermal stresses by repetition of temperature change, vibration and by the impact of solid particles. It is therefore very important to investigate mechanical properties and adhesion of oxide films in high temperature environments, as well as the properties in a room temperature environment. The oxidation tests were conducted for Ni and Ni-Co alloy under high temperature corrosive environments. The hardness distributions against the indentation depth from the top surface were examined at room temperature. Dynamic indentation tests were performed on Ni oxide films formed on Ni surfaces at room and high temperature to observe fractures or cracks generated around impact craters. As a result, it was found that the mechanical property as hardness of the oxide films were different between Ni and Ni-Co alloy, and between room and high temperatures, and that the adhesion of Ni oxide films was relatively stronger than that of Co oxide films.