Laser Cladding of Iron Aluminide Coatings for Surface Protection in Soderberg Electrolytic Cells

In this work, iron aluminide coatings (FeAl and Fe3Al) were developed on carbon steel substrates using the laser cladding process with mixtures of elemental iron and aluminum powders, aiming at protecting anodic pins in Soderberg electrolytic cells against oxidation and corrosion at high temperatures. These components operate under atmospheres rich in CO2, alumina dust, and intense thermal cycles. The influence of processing parameters on the microstructure, phase formation, and mechanical properties of the coatings was investigated. X-ray diffraction confirmed the formation of the FeAl phase with a B2 ordered structure, while the expected D03 ordering in Fe3Al was not detected, likely due to crystallographic texture effects. Microstructural analysis, optical and scanning electron microscopy, revealed dense coatings with good metallurgical bonding to the substrate and low porosity, being the conditions of 3.5 kW with 3 mm/s resulted in the best quality coatings. The FeAl coatings exhibited microhardness values of approximately 400 HV, whereas the Fe3Al coatings showed values around 350 HV, indicating a significant improvement compared to the carbon steel substrate. These results demonstrate that laser cladding is an effective technique for producing iron aluminide coatings with potential application for corrosion and wear protection of anodic pins in Soderberg electrolytic cells.