Oxidation studies at 1173 K under isothermal and thermal shock conditions performed on four different valve steels (X33CrNiMn23-8, X50CrMnNiNbN21-9, X53CrMnNiN20-8 and X55CrMnNiN20-8) covered with a 2 μm thick SiC coating revealed that they exhibit greater corrosion resistance compared to the uncoated steels. This is due to the formation of highly protective MnCr2O4 on coated samples in contrast to uncoated materials, on which Fe3O4 and Fe2O3 oxides with poor protective properties are detected. Studies performed in compressed natural gas also demonstrate the positive effect of SiC application. Obtained results enable tailoring a new generation of inexpensive coating for engine valve protection.
