Competitive oxidation behavior of Ni-based superalloy GH4738 at extreme temperature

A high thrust-to-weight ratio poses challenges to the high-temperature performance of Ni-based superalloys. The oxidation behavior of GH4738 at extreme temperatures has been investigated by isothermal and non-isothermal experiments. As a result of the competitive diffusion of alloying elements, the oxide scale included an outermost porous oxide layer (OOL), an inner relatively dense oxide layer (IOL), and an internal oxide zone (IOZ), depending on the temperature and time. A high temperature led to the formation of large voids at the IOL/IOZ interface. At 1200℃, the continuity of the Cr-rich oxide layer in the IOL was destroyed, and thus, spallation occurred. Extension of oxidation time contributed to the size of Al-rich oxide particles with the increase in the IOZ. Based on this finding,the oxidation kinetics of GH4738 was discussed, and the corresponding oxidation behavior at 900-1100℃ was predicted.

Effect of Ti and Ta content on the oxidation resistance of Co-Ni-based superalloys

Co-Ni-based superalloys are known for their capability to function at elevated temperatures and superior hot corrosion and thermal fatigue resistance.Therefore,these alloys show potential as crucial high-temperature structural materials for aeroengine and gas turbine hot-end components.Our previous work elucidated the influence of Ti and Ta on the high-temperature mechanical properties of alloys.However,the intricate interaction among elements considerably affects the oxidation resistance of alloys.In this paper,Co-35Ni-10Al-2W-5Cr-2Mo-1Nb-xTi-(5−x)Ta alloys(x=1,2,3,4)with varying Ti and Ta contents were designed and compounded,and their oxidation resistance was investigated at the temperature range from 800 to 1000℃.After oxidation at three test conditions,namely,800℃for 200 h,900℃for 200 h,and 1000℃for 50 h,the main structure of the oxide layer of the alloy consisted of spinel,Cr_(2)O_(3),and Al_(2)O_(3)from outside to inside.Oxides consisting of Ta,W,and Mo formed below the Cr_(2)O_(3)layer.The interaction of Ti and Ta imparted the highest oxidation resistance to 3Ti2Ta alloy.Conversely,an excessive amount of Ti or Ta resulted in an adverse effect on the oxidation resistance of the alloys.This study reports the volatilization of W and Mo oxides during the oxidation process of Co-Ni-based cast superalloys with a high Al content for the first time and explains the formation mechanism of holes in the oxide layer.The results provide a basis for gaining insights into the effects of the interaction of alloying elements on the oxidation resistance of the alloys they form.

A novel high-Cr CoNi-based superalloy with superior high-temperature microstructural stability, oxidation resistance and mechanical properties

A novel multicomponent high-Cr CoNi-based superalloy with superior comprehensive performance was prepared,and the evaluation of its high-temperature microstructural stability,oxidation resistance,and mechanical properties was conducted mainly using its cast polycrystalline alloy.The results disclosed that the morphology of theγ′phase remained stable,and the coarsening rate was slow during the long-term aging at 900–1000℃.The activation energy forγ′precipitate coarsening of alloy 9CoNi-Cr was(402±51)kJ/mol,which is higher compared with those of CMSX-4 and some other Ni-based and Co-based superalloys.Importantly,there was no indica-tion of the formation of topologically close-packed phases during this process.All these factors demonstrated the superior microstructural stability of the alloy.The mass gain of alloy 9CoNi-Cr was 0.6 mg/cm^(2) after oxidation at 1000℃ for 100 h,and the oxidation resistance was comparable to advanced Ni-based superalloys CMSX-4,which can be attributed to the formation of a continuous Al_(2)O_(3) protective layer.Moreover,the compressive yield strength of this cast polycrystalline alloy at high temperatures is clearly higher than that of the conventional Ni-based cast superalloy and the compressive minimum creep rate at 950℃ is comparable to that of the conventional Ni-based cast superalloy,demonstrating the alloy’s good mechanical properties at high temperature.This is partially because high Cr is bene-ficial in improving theγandγ′phase strengths of alloy 9CoNi-Cr.

Additive manufacturing of Ni-based superalloys: Residual stress, mechanisms of crack formation and strategies for crack inhibition

The additive manufacturing(AM)of Ni-based superalloys has attracted extensive interest from both academia and industry due to its unique capabilities to fabricate complex and high-performance components for use in high-end industrial systems.However,the intense temperature gradient induced by the rapid heating and cooling processes of AM can generate high levels of residual stress and metastable chemical and structural states,inevitably leading to severe metallurgical defects in Ni-based superalloys.Cracks are the greatest threat to these materials’integrity as they can rapidly propagate and thereby cause sudden and non-predictable failure.Consequently,there is a need for a deeper understanding of residual stress and cracking mechanisms in additively manufactured Ni-based superalloys and ways to potentially prevent cracking,as this knowledge will enable the wider application of these unique materials.To this end,this paper comprehensively reviews the residual stress and the various mechanisms of crack formation in Ni-based superalloys during AM.In addition,several common methods for inhibiting crack formation are presented to assist the research community to develop methods for the fabrication of crack-free additively manufactured components.

Effect of Ta on solidification characteristics and mechanical properties of DZ411 Ni-based superalloy

The effects of Ta content(2.72wt.%,3.10wt.%and 4.00wt.%)on the solidification characteristics and mechanical properties of directionally solidified DZ411 Ni-based superalloys were investigated.It is found that the content of Mo decreases with the increase of Ta in liquid phase after directional solidification,indicating the addition of Ta can reduce the element segregation in alloys.The primary and secondary dendrite arm spacings(PDAS and SDAS)of the DZ411 alloy increase with the addition of Ta,which are consistent with the models by Hunt and Wagner.The increase of PDAS and SDAS can provide enough space for the growth of tertiary dendrite arms,which hinders the growth of unfavorably oriented primary dendrites.As a result,the addition of Ta facilitates the growth of favorably oriented dendrites.More MC carbides andγ-γ'eutectics are formed in the interdendritic regions,which is attributed to the segregation of Ta in the liquid phase.Furthermore,the degree of supersaturation of W,Mo inγmatrix increases with the increase of Ta,thus,the addition of Ta promotes the formation of TCP phase.The addition of Ta also increases the microhardness in both the primary dendrite and interdendritic regions of the alloy,and the microhardness of the primary dendrite is closer to that in interdendritic regions with the increase of Ta.

Characteristics of High Temperature Rupture of a Cast Ni-Based Superalloy M963

The rupture behavior of a cast Ni-base superalloy M963 at high temperature has been investi- gated. The microstructure examination shows that there exists a large amount of the carbide and γ-γ' eutectic, which is very harmful to the mechanical properties of M963 superalloy. The tensile strength of M963 superalloy both at room temperature and at high temperatures is higher than that of K17G alloy, but the tensile ductility of the former is much lower than that of the latter. In tensile fracture process with the high strain rate, the open carbides are the initiation site and the carbide/matrix interface is the propagation path of cracks. But in fracture process with the low strain rate, the carbide/matrix interface and cast microvoids are the initiation sites, and the carbide/matrix interface is the propagation path of cracks. The effective ways to improve ductility of M963 superalloy are also suggested.

Effect of solidification parameters on the microstructures of a single crystal Ni-based superalloy AM3

A single crystal Ni-based superalloy AM3 was processed at withdraw rates of 3.5, 10, 50, 100, 200, and 500 μm·s-1, respectively.The as-cast microstructures and solidification segregation ratio were characterized with various withdraw rates.The shape and size of carbide microstructures were determined.As expected, the primary and secondary dendrite arm spacings (PDAS and SDAS) decrease with the increase of withdraw rate.The highest volume fraction of eutectic γ/γ' is observed at the 100 μm·s-1 withdraw rate.The volume fraction of eutectic γ/γ' does not appear to be a strong function of the withdraw rate.With increasing withdraw rate, interface morphologies change in the sequence of planar, cellular, and dendrite.There is a general refinement of the microstructure as the withdraw rate increases.EPMA analysis showed that withdraw rate does not have obvious influence on the segregation of elements.

Influence of thermal exposure on microstructure and stress rupture properties of a new Re-containing single crystal Ni-based superalloy

In this study, the long-term thermal microstructural stability and related stress rupture lives of a new Re-containing Ni-based single-crystal superalloy, DD11, were investigated after high-temperature exposure for different lengths of time. The results show that the γ' precipitates retained a cuboidal morphology and the γ' size increased after short thermal exposure for 50 h at 1,070℃. As the thermal exposure time was prolonged to 500 h, the cuboidal γ' gradually changed into irregular raft-like morphology due to particles coalescence, and the morphology of the microstructure was almost unchanged after further thermal exposure up to 3,000 h. The stress rupture experiments at 1,070℃ and a tensile stress of 140 MPa showed that the rupture lives increased significantly after thermal exposure for 50 h and dropped dramatically with increasing exposure time up to 500 h but decreased slowly after exposure for more than 500 h. These results imply that stress rupture properties did not decrease when the γ' remained cuboidal but degraded to different extents during the γ' coarsening process. The coarsening of the γ' precipitates and change in morphology were regarded as the main factors leading to the degradation of the stress rupture lives. This study provides fundamental information on the high-temperature longterm microstructural stability and mechanical performance, which will be of great help for DD11 alloy optimization and engineering aeroengine applications.

Room temperature tensile deformation behavior of a Ni-based superalloy with high W content

K416B Ni-based superalloy with high W content has good high temperature properties and low cost,which has a great development potential.To investigate the room temperature tensile property and the deformation feature of K416B superalloy,tensile testing at room temperature was carried out,and optical microscopy (OM),scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to analyze the deformation and damage mechanisms.Results show that the main room temperature tensile deformation features of the K416B nickel-based superalloy are dislocations slipping in the matrix and shearing into γ’ phase.The <110> super-dislocations shearing into γ’ phase can form the anti-phase boundary two coupled (a/2)<110> partial-dislocations or decompose into the configuration of two (a/3)<112> partial dislocations plus stacking fault.In the later stage of tensile testing,the slip-lines with different orientations are activated in the grain,causing the stress concentration in the regions of block carbide or the porosity,and cracks initiate and propagate along these regions.

MICROMECHANICS OF THE DAMAGE-INDUCED CELLULAR MICROSTRUCTURE IN SINGLE CRYSTAL Ni-BASED SUPERALLOYS

An analytical method to investigate the morphological evolution of the cellular mi-crostructure is explored and proposed. The method is essentially based on the Es-helby 's micromechanics theory, and it is extended so as to be applied for a material system containing inclusions with high volume fraction, by employing the average stress field approximation by Mori and Tanaka. The proposed method enables us to discuss a stable shape of precipitate in the material system, which must be influenced by many factors: e.g., volume fraction of precipitate; Young's modulus ratio and lattice misfit between matrix and precipitate; external stress field in multiaxial state; and heterogeneity of plastic strain between matrix and precipitate. A series of numerical calculations were summarized on stable shape maps. The application of the method to predict the γ' rafting in superalloys during creep showed that the heterogeneity of plastic strain between matrix and precipitates may play a significant role in the shape stability of the precipitate. Furthermore, it was shown that the method was successfully applied to estimate the morphology of the cellular microstructure formed in CMSX-4 single crystal Ni-based superalloy.

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Spray Deposited Ni-based Superalloys

Three kinds of superalloys were prepared by spray deposited process. The analysis results of microstructures and mechanical properties indicate that the spray deposited preforms with higher integral densification and the oxygen content in each kind of superalloy was very low. The microstructures are consisted of fine grain without dendritic equi-axed. The spray deposited superalloys possessed good ductility. The forging experiment displays that even though the once deformation of spray deposited GH742 alloy more than 60%, the crack can not be found. Meanwhile, the mechanical properties of spray deposited superalloys are significantly increased.

Phase constitution,microstructure and mechanical properties of a Ni-based superalloy specially designed for additive manufacturing

In this study,a kind of Ni-based superalloy specially designed for additive manufacturing(AM)was investigated.Thermo-Calc simulation and differential scanning calorimetry(DSC)analysis were used to determine phases and their transformation temperature.Experimental specimens were prepared by laser metal deposition(LMD)and traditional casting method.Microstructure,phase constitution and mechanical properties of the alloy were characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),transmission scanning electron microscopy(TEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD)and tensile tests.The results show that this alloy contains two basic phases,γ/γ’,in addition to these phases,at least two secondary phases may be present,such as MC carbides and Laves phases.Furthermore,the as-deposited alloy has finer dendrite,its mean primary dendrite arm space(PDAS)is about 30-45μm,and the average size ofγ’particles is 100-150 nm.However,the dendrite size of the as-cast alloy is much larger and its PDAS is 300-500μm with secondary and even third dendrite arms.Correspondingly,the alloy displays different tensile behavior with different processing methods,and the as-deposited specimen shows better ultimate tensile stress(1,085.7±51.7 MPa),yield stress(697±19.5 MPa)and elongation(25.8%±2.2%)than that of the as-cast specimen.The differences in mechanical properties of the alloy are due to the different morphology and size of dendrites,γ’,and Laves phase,and the segregation of elements,etc.Such important information would be helpful for alloy application as well as new alloy development.

Low-cycle Fatigue Behavior of Ni-based Superalloy GH586 with Laser Shock Processing

Low-cycle fatigue behavior of Ni-based superalloy GH586 with laser shock processing（LSP） was investigated. The residual stress of the specimens treated with LSP was assessed by X-ray diffraction method. The microstructure and fracture morphology were characterized by using an optical microscope（OM）, a scanning electron microscope（SEM）, and a transmission electron microscope（TEM）. The results indicated that the maximum residual compressive stress was at about 1 mm from the shocking spot center, where the residual compressive stress was slightly lower. High density tangling dislocations, dislocation walls, and dislocation cells in the microstructure of the specimens treated with LSP effectively prevented fatigue cracks propagation. The fatigue life was roughly twice as long as that of the specimens without LSP. The fatigue crack initiation（FCI） in specimens treated with LSP was observed in the lateral section and the subsurface simultaneously. The fatigue striation in the fracture treated with LSP was narrower than that in the untreated specimens. Moreover, dimples with tear ridges were found in the fatigued zones of the LSP treated specimens, which would be caused by severe plastic deformation.

Effects of Re, Ta, and W in [110] (001) dislocation core of γ/γ' interface to Ni-based superalloys: First-principles study

The strengthening effects of alloying elements Re,Ta,and W in the[110](001)dislocation core of theγ/γ'interface are studied by first-principles calculations.From the level of energy the substitution formation energies and the migration energies of alloying elements are computed and from the level of electron the differential charge density(DCD)and the partial density of states(PDOSs)are computed.Alloying elements above are found to tend to substitute for Al sitesγ'phase by analyzing the substitution formation energy.The calculation results for the migration energies of alloying elements indicate that the stability of the[110](001)dislocation core is enhanced by adding Ta,W,and Re and the strengthening effect of Re is the strongest.Our results agree with the relevant experiments.The electronic structure analysis indicates that the electronic interaction between Re-nearest neighbor(NN)Ni is the strongest.The reason why the doped atoms have different strengthening effects in the[110](001)dislocation core is explained at the level of electron.

Effect of Zr on solidification and microstructure of a Ni-based superalloy with high Al and Ti contents

The total content of Al and Ti in advanced Ni-based wrought superalloys is up to 7.5wt.%,which makes it easier to form harmful nonequilibrium eutectic(γ+γ′)andηphase.It has been reported that the addition of certain amount of Zr can modify precipitation of the nonequilibrium phases obviously,but the mechanism is still controversial.The effect of Zr ranging from<0.0006wt.%to 0.150wt.%on solidification behavior,segregation and microstructure of a Ni-based superalloy with high Al and Ti contents was investigated,eliminating the interferences of C and B.Results show that increase in Zr content significantly promotes the formation of eutectic(γ+γ′),ηand Zr-rich phase in the interdendritic region.Besides the Zr-rich phase,Zr dissolves slightly in the eutecticγ′and obviously in theηphase.An interesting phenomenon is discovered that the Zr addition significantly increases the area fraction of liquid pools and enlarges the forming range ofγdendrites,which suggests that Zr markedly retards the solidification.Zr affects the eutectic(γ+γ′)andηformation mainly due to the retard of solidification and dissolution of Zr in them.The retard of solidification obviously increases the residual liquid fraction and undercooling.Zr can serve as a forming element for the eutectic(γ+γ′)andηphase,and the obvious dissolution of Zr inηphase significantly decreases the critical concentration of Ti for its precipitation.

Investigation on the dissolution of η phase in a cast Ni-based superalloy

The dissolution behavior of rI phase has been investigated in a cast Ni-based superalloy. The results showed that the platelets and blocks of η phase were formed within the interdendritic regions of the microstructure. Applying standard solution annealing at 1150-1160℃ for a period of 4 h did not result in the complete dissolution of η phase. For the complete dissolution of η phase without residual incipient melting, a 2-step solution annealing has been recommended. After dissolution at high tem- peratures, the TI phase transforms to two MC-type carbides： one is enriched in Ti, Nb, and Ta, and the other is of （Zr,Ti）C type.

Effect of carbon additions on the microstructure of a single crystal Ni-based superalloy AM3

The microstructure of experimental nickel-base single crystal superalloys with different levels of carbon has been studied. The results indicated that with increasing carbon addition, the liquidus temperature decreased obviously and the as-cast microstructures exhibited a decrease in the amount of γ/γ′ eutectic structure and an increase in the volume fraction of carbides. The carbides formed in these alloys were most script-type MC carbides which appeared continuous dendritic networks in the interdendritic region. The segregation behavior of element W was influenced by the carbon addition.

Effect of interaction of refractories with Ni-based superalloy on inclusions during vacuum induction melting

This study documents laboratory-scale observation of the interactions between the Ni-based superalloy FGH4096 and refractories.Three different crucibles were tested—MgO,Al2O3,and MgO–spinel.We studied the variations in the compositions of the inclusions and the alloy–crucible interface with the reaction time using scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Xray diffraction.The results showed that the MgO and MgO–spinel crucibles form MgO-containing inclusions(Al–Mg oxides and Al–Mg–Ti oxides),whereas the inclusions formed when using the Al2O3 crucible are Al2O3 and Al–Ti oxides.We observed a new MgAl2O4 phase at the inner wall of the MgO crucible,with the alloy melted in the MgO crucible exhibiting fewer inclusions.No new phase occurred at the inner wall of the Al2O3 crucible.We discuss the mechanism of interaction between the refractories and the Ni-based superalloy.Physical erosion was found to predominate in the Al2O3 crucible,whereas dissolution and chemical reactions dominated in the MgO crucible.No reaction was observed between three crucibles and the Ti of the melt although the Ti content(3.8wt%)was higher than that of Al(2.1wt%).

Site preferences of alloying transition metal elements in Ni-based superalloy: A first-principles study

Atomistic characterization of chemical element distribution is crucial to understanding the role of alloying elements for strengthening mechanism of superalloy. In the present work, the site preferences of two alloying elements X -Y in γ-Ni of Ni-based superalloy are systematically studied using first-principles calculations with and without spin-polarization. The doping elements X and Y are chosen from the 27 kinds of 3 d, 4 d, 5 d group transition metals（Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co,Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au） and Al. We find that the spin-polarized calculations for Re-Re, Re-Ru, Re-Cr, Ru-Cr show a strong chemical binding affinity between the solute elements and are more consistent with the experimental results. The binding energies of pairs between the 28 elements have an obvious periodicity and are closely related the electronic configuration of the elements. When the d-electrons of the element are close to the half full-shell state, two alloying elements possess attractive binding energies, reflecting the effect of the Hund＇s rule. The combinations of early transition metals（Sc, Ti, V, Y, Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta） have a repulsive interaction in γ-Ni. These results offer insights into the role of alloying elements for strengthening mechanism of superalloy.

The effects of combining alloying elements on the elastic properties of γ-Ni in Ni-based superalloy:High-throughput first-principles calculations

Using high-throughput first-principles calculations, we systematically studied the synergistic effect of alloying two elements （AI and 28 kinds of 3d, 4d, and 5d transition metals） on the elastic constants and elastic moduli of γ-Ni. We used machine learning to theoretically predict the relationship between alloying concentration and mechanical properties, giving the binding energy between the two elements. We found that the ternary alloying elements strengthened the 7 phase in the order of Re 〉 Ir 〉 W 〉 Ru 〉 Cr 〉 Mo 〉 Pt 〉 Ta 〉 Co. There is a quadratic parabolic relationship between the number of d shell electrons in the alloying element and the bulk modulus, and the maximum bulk modulus appears when the d shell is half full. We found a linear relationship between bulk modulus and alloying concentration over a certain alloying range. Using linear regression, we found the linear fit concentration coefficient of 29 elements. Using machine learning to theoretically predict the bulk modulus and lattice constants of Ni32XY, we predicted values close to the calculated results, with a regression parameter of R2 = 0.99626. Compared with pure Ni, the alloyed Ni has higher bulk modulus B, G, E, Cll, and C44, but equal Cl2. The alloying strengthening in some of these systems is closely tied to the binding of elements, indicating that the binding energy of the alloy is a way to assess its elastic properties.