Al2O3-Y2O3 Nano- and Micro-Composite Coatings on Fe-9Cr-Mo Alloy

Al2O3-Y2O3 nano- and micro-composite coatings were deposited on Fe-9Cr-Mo substrates by using sol-gel composite coating technology. The processing includes dipping samples in a sol-gel solution dispersed with fine ceramic powders, which are prepared by high-energy ball milling. High-resolution microscopy (FE-SEM) analyses show that the coating is composed of composite particle clusters with an average diameter of 1μm, and the coating is relatively dense without cracking during drying and sintering stages. XRD analyses show that the oxide coating is mainly composed of α-Al2O3 and γ-Al2O3. The oxidation tests performed at 600 °C in air show that the coatings are provided with much improved resistance against high temperature oxidation and scale spallation. It is indicated that nano-structured composite particles and reactive elements are integrated into the coatings, which plays an important role in preventing agglomeration of nano-particles and initiation of cracks.