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Coatings

Enhancing High-Temperature Oxidation Resistance in TiAl Alloys

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Researchers at Northeastern University in Shenyang, People's Republic of China, have made a breakthrough in enhancing the high-temperature oxidation resistance of TiAl alloys, a crucial material in aerospace, automotive, and chemical sectors. The team used a powder mixture to aluminize gamma-TiAl intermetallic compound specimens via pack cementation, resulting in a significant improvement in oxidation resistance. This study expands the potential applications of TiAl alloys, which are widely used due to their low density, high specific strength, and stiffness.

Key Takeaways:

  • TiAl alloys are widely used in aerospace, automotive, and chemical sectors due to their advantages, including low density, high specific strength, and stiffness.
  • Applying high-temperature protective coatings is essential for TiAl alloys to prevent the formation of a porous oxide film at temperatures above 800°C.
  • Among common oxides, Al2O3 exhibits a Pilling-Bedworth Ratio (PBR) value within the optimal range (1-2), making aluminum-based compound coatings the most extensively utilized.
  • Pack cementation is a widely employed method for applying aluminum coatings due to its simplicity.
  • The research team used a powder mixture with the composition Al:Al2O3:NH4Cl:CeO2 = 30:66:3:1 to aluminize gamma-TiAl intermetallic compound specimens via pack cementation.
  • The treatment significantly enhanced the high-temperature oxidation resistance of the gamma-TiAl intermetallic compound, broadening its potential application scenarios.

Statistics:

  • The powder mixture used for aluminization contained 30% Al, 66% Al2O3, 3% NH4Cl, and 1% CeO2.
  • The pack cementation process was conducted at 600°C for 5 hours.
  • The iso-thermal oxidation test was performed at 900°C for 20 hours, resulting in an oxidation kinetic curve adhering to the parabolic rate law.
  • The research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, and Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Project.
  • The study was published in the journal Coatings in 2025, Volume 15, Issue 8.

Sources:

  • NewsRx. Researchers from Northeastern University Describe Findings in Nanotechnology (Study On Preparation of Nano-ceo 2 Modified Aluminized Coating By Low Temperature Pack Aluminizing On G-tial Intermetallic Compound). News of Science. November 2, 2025; p 3933.
  • Coatings. Study On Preparation of Nano-ceo 2 Modified Aluminized Coating By Low Temperature Pack Aluminizing On G-tial Intermetallic Compound. 2025;15(8).

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