Abstract
The alloy with the composition Fe-31Mn-9Al-0.87C was employed to investigate the effects of carbon on the oxidation behaviour at 800, 900 and 1000° C in dry air. Electron and optical microscopy were applied to examine the morphology and elemental redistribution in the oxide scale. Oxidation kinetics of the alloy oxidized at 800 and 900° C exhibited three-stage and two-stage parabolic rate laws, respectively. For the alloy oxidized at 1000° C, a carbon-induced breakaway three-stage oxidation mechanism developed. The carbon addition had a detrimental effect on the oxidation resistance and resulted in a porous initial oxide layer, which was favourable to the oxidation of manganese as well as the formation of a uniform and bulky oxide. As the oxidation temperature was increased, the diffusion rates of the metallic elements and the healing ability of oxide scales were enhanced. However, when the carbon content in alloy was above the saturation value, a breakaway scaling may have occurred due to the carbon-induced oxidation. © 1988 Chapman and Hall Ltd.