Acoustic emission as a technique to study breakaway oxidation and spalling behaviour of 2.25Cr-1 Mo steel

The onset of breakaway oxidation and cracking of the oxide scale formed on 2.25Cr-1Mo steel in air at 1173 K have been studied by the acoustic emission (AE) technique. AE parameters, i.e. events, ring-down counts, rise time, event duration and root mean square voltage show negligible increase during isothermal heating at this temperature, until a point where a sudden increase in AE activity is found. This point corresponds to the onset of breakaway oxidation. An enormous increase in AE activity after the start of cooling from the oxidation temperature has been attributed to separation of the oxide scale from the matrix. The peak amplitude distribution is measured and a derived b parameter is calculated. This has helped in distinguishing the phenomena of isothermal oxidation at 1173 K and internal cracking of oxide scale during cooling from 1173 K. © 1991 Chapman & Hall.