The effect of temperature on the protective oxide layers in Cr-containing steels

Inhibition or at least deceleration of global warming has become one of the major goals for the coming decades. A key strategy will be to replace fossil fuels with more sustainable fuels, which has generated growing interest in the use of waste-derived fuels and of renewable fuels such as biomass. More efficient ways to prevent corrosion are needed so that power plants using biomass and waste-derived fuels can operate at higher steam temperatures. From the materials point of view, this has been achieved by modifying the chemical composition of superheater steels to enhance their resistance to corrosion. To take this step further, one possibility could be controlled manipulation of the protective oxide layer thickness through pre-oxidation.The focus of this study was to shed more light on the positive effect of pre-oxidation, in terms of corrosion resistance, on various commercial steels at elevated temperatures. The aim was to emphasize the effect of both time and temperature on oxide thickness, composition, and morphology.