Phase Formation and Oxidation Behavior at 500 °C in a Ni-Co-Al Thin-Film Materials Library

The complete ternary system Ni-Co-Al was fabricated as a thin film materials library by combinatorial magnetron sputtering and was annealed subsequently in several steps in Ar and under atmospheric conditions at 500 °C. Ni-Co-Al is the base system for both Ni- and Co-based superalloys. Therefore, the phases occurring in this system and their oxidation behavior is of high interest. The Ni-Co-Al materials library was investigated using high-throughput characterization methods such as optical measurements, resistance screening, automated EDX, automated XRD, and XPS. From the obtained data a thin film phase diagram for the Ni-Co-Al system in its state after annealing at 500 °C in air was established. Furthermore, a surface oxide composition map of the full Ni-Co-Al system for oxidation at 500 °C was concluded. As a result, it could be shown that at 500 °C an amount of 10 at. % Al is necessary for a Ni-Co-Al thin film to produce a protective Al-oxide scale.