Corrosion Resistance at Elevated Temperatures in Highly Aggressive Environments

Corrosion resistance in highly aggressive environments is a critical issue in a number of industrial high-temperature applications. In this paper, the partial pressure situation of some particularly harsh, industrial, high-temperature environments is summarized first. In a second step, issues of high-temperature corrosion resistance are discussed for sulfidizing, carburizing (metal dusting), and chloridizing environments. Discussion is based on three approaches: thermodynamic considerations, experimental results, and the development of protective coatings. As will be shown, all three approaches offer the potential for controlling corrosion resistance of components and, thus, avoiding premature failure. Part of the work behind these approaches is still ongoing.