Corrosion resistance is a critical material barrier to the operation of high-temperature systems. High-temperature degradation arising from multiple reactions of solids with gases and condensible products often limits performance or materials lifetimes such that efficiency, emission, and/or economic targets or requirements are not realized. Historically, the development of materials for high-temperature use has been closely linked to corrosion studies of alloys and ceramics in appropriate environments so as to select materials that offer improved performance. This paper examines somewhat different approaches based on better using our scientific understanding of high-temperature corrosion processes. These approaches exploit our thermodynamic, kinetic and phenomenological knowledge about high-temperature corrosion and alloy and ceramics science to devise coating and surface modification schemes and design material systems that offer improved resistance to high-temperature environmental degradation in advanced coal-based power systems.

Research sponsored by the Fossil Energy Advanced Research Materials Program, Office of Fossil Energy, U. S. Department of Energy under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with UT-Battelle, LLC.