Abstract
The hot corrosion properties of heat-resistant steels were investigated in an oxidation atmosphere including artificial ash and sulfur dioxide. The heat-resistant steels of T22, T92, T122, T347HFG, Super304H and HR3C were evaluated at 620, 670 and $720^{\circ}C$ for 400 hours. The relationship between the corrosion rate and the temperature followed a bell-shaped curve with a peak rate at around $670^{\circ}C$. The corrosion rates showed a decreasing tendency as the chrome contents of these steels increased from 2.15 wt.% to 24.5 wt.%, and austenitic steels had a lower corrosion rate than ferritic steels. Sulfidation by $SO_2$ as well as molten salt corrosion also had an effect on the total corrosion rate, especially showing an increase in the corrosion rate in ferritic steels. Regardless of the chrome content in the steels and irrespective of the test temperature, the corrosion scale was composed of an outer oxide and an artificial ash mixed layer, a middle oxide layer and inner sulfide, and a mixed oxide layer. As the chrome content increased, the proportion of chrome oxide in the corrosion scale increased. Before spalling of the corrosion scale, voids and cracks were initiated in the sulfide and the mixed oxide layer or at the interface with the substrate.
