Cyclic oxidation behavior of β-NiAlDy alloys containing varying aluminum content at 1200 °C

β-NiAlDy cast alloys containing varying aluminum content were prepared by arc-melting. The microstructures and cyclic oxidation behavior of the alloys at 1200 °C were investigated. Grain refinement was achieved by increasing aluminum content in the alloy, which is beneficial to selective oxidation. The Ni–55Al–0.1Dy alloy showed excellent cyclic oxidation resistance due to the formation of a continuous, dense and slow-growing oxide scale. In contrast to this, severe internal oxidation as well as large void formation at the scale/alloy interface occurred in the Ni–45Al–0.1Dy alloy. The aluminum content dependence of the reactive element effects in β-NiAlDy was established that Dy doping strengthened the scale/alloy interface by pegging mechanism in high-aluminum alloys but accelerated internal oxidation in low-aluminum alloys during high-temperature exposure.