Formation of secondary reaction zones in diffusion aluminide-coated Ni-base single-crystal superalloys containing ruthenium

The formation of secondary reaction zones (SRZs) beneath aluminide coatings in several Ru-bearing single-crystal Ni-base superalloys has been investigated. The presence of significant amounts of Ru in the superalloys did not prevent the formation of the secondary reaction zone. However, the Ru content of the alloys affected the type of refractory element-rich phase formed during the transformation. As the Ru content increased, the phase involved in the transformation shifted from the orthorhombic P to the beta-RuAl phase. A differential tendency to SRZ formation was observed between the dendritic and interdendritic regions of the alloys. Significant growth of the SRZ was also observed during the high-temperature oxidation exposure of the coated alloys. The effects of the alloying elements on SRZ formation are discussed.