Patent ID: 6893737

Claim:
A method for applying a diffusion aluminide coating to a metal substrate comprising the steps of: providing a metal substrate; cleaning the substrate of foreign material; coating the metal substrate with a layer of aluminum containing paint, said paint comprising substantially aluminum, solvents, and binders; drying the substrate; baking the layer of aluminum containing paint to a first temperature for a first period of time sufficient to volatilize solvents remaining in the layer of aluminum-based paint; baking the layer of aluminum containing paint to a second temperature for a second preselected period of time sufficient to remove the binders in the layer of aluminum containing paint in an inert atmosphere, the remaining layer comprising substantially aluminum of sufficient thickness; heating the metal substrate having a substantially continuous layer of aluminum to a third temperature for a third period of time sufficient to diffuse the aluminum into the substrate to form a diffusion aluminide layer; heating the diffusion aluminide layer to a fourth temperature for a fourth period of time to form a continuous, adherent alumina scale over the diffusion aluminide coating; and cooling the substrate.