The oxidation behaviour of Ti47Al--2Cr42Si and Ti48Al-2Cr-2Nb (at%),
with a fine-grained near-gamma microstructure was studied at 700 and 800°C in
comparison with Ti-48Al-2Cr. Isothermal and cyclic oxidation tests were performed
either in humidified synthetic air or in static laboratory air. Ti43Al-2Cr-
2Nb showed the lowest oxidation rate and the highest spallation resistance. For
Ti-47Al-2Cr42Si a low isothermal oxidation rate but pronounced susceptibility
for oxide spallation was found. The niobium-free and silicon-free alloy Ti48Al-
2Cr showed a high isothermal oxidation rate; however, spallation was between
the two extremes represented by Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb and Ti47Al-2Cr42Si.
During oxidation a complex multiphased and multilayered scale was formed on
the surface of the alloys. The oxidation of the alloys initially resulted in the
formation of o-A120s, TiOz (rutile), TiPAIN, and TIN. After longer exposure
times the outer scale of Ti47Al-2Cr-G2Si was dominated by fast growing TiOz
crystals and an Al-depletion layer was formed at the scale/metal interface. In the
case of Tik48Al-2Cr-2Nb, however, no Al-depletion zone was found at the scale/
metal interface after longer exposure times, but a narrow layer slightly enriched
in Nb. The outer scale also consisted of a TiOz layer but with a crystal density
and crystal size significantly smaller than in the case of Ti48Al-2Cr and Ti47Al-
2Cr42Si. Two-stage oxidation experiments with isotope tracers were performed to
study the oxidation mechanisms. Some attempts to explain the effect of niobium
and silicon on the oxidation resistance of TiAl-based intermetallics are discussed