Abstract
Three austenitic Fe-31 Mn-9Al-0.87C based alloys with various contents of chromium are oxidized in dry air from 800 to 1100° C. Decarburization takes place in the first stage of oxidation, and results in a porous initial alumina layer followed by a uniform and bulky oxide layer. In the second stage of oxidation or at higher temperature, the oxidation is dominated by the metallic elements. The chromium addition in this study acts as the oxygen getter to retard the oxidation of iron and especially decarburization in the first stage of oxidation. Qualitative and quantitative microscopic techniques are employed to investigate the morphological development and the elemental redistribution in the alloy system. © 1990 Chapman and Hall Ltd.