Iron aluminides are of potential interest in view of their good corrosion resistance at elevated temperatures, especially in atmospheres with high sulfur and low oxygen partial pressures. However, the ductility of these alloys at room temperature is relatively low. Liu et al. reported that Fe[sub 3]Al was quite ductile when tested in a dry oxygen atmosphere and in a vacuum at room temperature. The lowest ductility was obtained when samples were tested in H[sub 2]O vapor. It has been suggested that the embrittlement of Fe[sub 3]Al is due to atomic hydrogen arising from a reaction between water vapor and aluminum atoms at crack tips. The hydrogen atoms diffuse into the metal and concentrate on critical trap sites, such as grain boundaries and dislocations, thereby promoting crack propagation. In this paper, the tensile properties of a binary and alloyed iron aluminide will be reported as a function of the temperature, strain rate and relative humidity of the air. The influence of humidity on fracture surfaces of the aluminides will be shown.
