On the Mechanical Behavior of a New Single-Crystal Superalloy for Industrial Gas Turbine Applications

The mechanical behavior of a new single-crystal nickel-based superalloy for industrial gas turbine (IGT) applications is studied under creep and out-of-phase (OP) thermomechanical fatigue (TMF) conditions. Neutron diffraction methods and thermodynamic modeling are used to quantify the variation of the gamma prime (γ′) strengthening phase around the γ′ solvus temperature; these aid the design of primary aging heat treatments to develop either uniform or bimodal microstructures of the γ′ phase. Under creep conditions in the temperature range 1023 K to 1123 K (750 °C to 850 °C), with stresses between 235 to 520 MPa, the creep performance is best with a finer and uniform γ′ microstructure. On the other hand, the OP TMF performance improves when the γ′ precipitate size is larger. Thus, the micromechanical degradation mechanisms occurring during creep and TMF are distinct. During TMF, localized shear banding occurs with the γ′ phase penetrated by dislocations; however, during creep, the dislocation activity is restricted to the matrix phase. The factors controlling TMF resistance are rationalized.