The high temperature oxidation behaviour of AISI-304 austenitic steel was studied in the presence of Na2SO4, Fe-2(SO4)(3) or a mixture at 973 K in flowing air. The studies were carried out to examine the influence of eutectic and solid phases present in the Na2SO4 + Fe-2(SO4)(3) systems on the hot corrosion of AISI-304 steel which is extensively employed as a high temperature structural alloy. The scale morphologies were determined on the basis of X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy.