A study on microstructure evolution of MCrAlY coatings after thermal aging in Te environment

The effects of thermal exposure on tellurium (Te) diffusion behavior in MCrAlY coatings were investigated at 800 °C in Te vapor. The results showed that the diffusion depth of Te in MCrAlY coatings gradually increased with the exposure time, and the dense Cr₃Te₄ layer formed on the coating surface in the initial stage was no longer continuous, especially under aging conditions with higher Te concentration. The high Cr content of the coating promoted the solid phase transition of the surface reaction product from Cr₃Te₄ to Cr₇Te₈, and resulting in the formation of large α-Cr phase either within or beneath the reaction layer during long aging processes. As a result of this phase transition, excess Te atoms were released from Cr₃Te₄ and continued to diffuse into the coating. Te did not exhibit obvious intergranular diffusion characteristics within the coating. When it encountered Y, it was captured by Y and formed a YTe phase. After aging for 3000 h, Te was distributed throughout the coating, and numerous voids were formed at the interface between the coating and the substrate. These two factors deteriorated the plasticity and adhesion of the coating. Results from molten salt corrosion tests indicated that the high content of Cr and Al in the coating, as well as high densities of grain boundaries providing diffusion pathways, reduced the corrosion resistance of the coating to molten salt.