Diffraction Profile, Strain Distribution and Dislocation Densities during Stage II Creep of a Superalloy

Abstract

One of the major ingredients of modelling the mechanical behaviour of superalloys is the knowledge of dislocation densities and strain distribution. Both can be measured using post mortem BF TEM and CBED, but such methods do not allow following their variations during a test. The aim of the present work is to investigate the usefulness of in situ X-Ray Three Crystal Diffractometry (TCD) to measure the density and distribution of dislocations within a rafted superalloy, i.e. during stage II of high temperature creep. As the instrument contribution is very low, the two-peaked experimental profiles are representative of the lattice parameter distribution within the material. The profiles were measured within bulk specimens at the BW5 high energy beamline Hasylab (DESY), during high temperature (1050°C to 1180°C) tests under loads between 0 MPa and 300 MPa. The peak shapes were observed to change with varying experimental conditions. The peak width follows different patterns under low and high stress, i.e. with low and high strain rates. The distribution of elastic strains was calculated by assuming two main contributions: dislocation segments trapped at the γ/γ’ interfaces in a more or less regular network, and dislocations moving within the γ’ rafts. A comparison between experimental and simulated peaks shows that several features of their behaviour can be explained: the absolute magnitude of the peak width, the observed decrease of the peak width under low loads with increasing interfacial dislocation densities. The larger increase in the width of the γ’ peak under high load (and strain rate) may be attributed to a dislocation density within the 1013 m-2 range within the rafts. The present results are presently being cross-checked by post mortem TEM observations.