Abstract: The corrosion properties of a Co-15wt% Y alloy were studied in H_2-H_2S mixtures under a sulfur pressure of 10-3 Pa at 600-800℃ and of 10-2 Pa at 800℃ to examine the effect of Y on the resistance of pure cobalt to sulfur attack at high temperatures.The alloy is nearly single-phase.containing mostly the intermetallic compound Co17Y2 plus a little amount of the solid solution of Y in cobalt.At 600-700℃ and at 800℃ under 10-2 Pa of S2 the alloy forms multi-layered scales consisting of an outer region of pure cobalt sulfide,an intermediate region of a mixture of the sulfides of the two metals and finally an innermost layer of a mixture of yttrium sulfide with metal cobalt.At 800℃ under 10-3Pa of S2,below the dissociation pressure of cobalt sulfide, the alloy forms only a single layer composed of a mixture of metallic cobalt with yttrium sulfide.Pure Y produces only the oxysulfide Y2O2S, as a result of the good stability of this compound and of the presence of some impurities in the gas mixtures used The corrosion kinetics is generally rather complex and irregular except al 800℃under 10-3 Pa of S2.The addition of yttrium always reduces the sulfidation rate of cobalt, even though the formation of a continuous protective external layer of yttrium sulfide is never achieved.The internal sulfidation of Y in Co-15% Y is not associated with a depletion of Y in the alloy.This kind of diffusionless internal attack is typical of alloys with a very small solubility of the most reactive component Y in the base metal A.which restricts severely the Y flux from the alloy towards the alloy-scale interface.

Key words: cobalt-yttrium alloy, high temperature, sulfidation