Effects of Modified Solution Heat Treatment on δ- Phase and Low Cycle Fatigue Properties of Inconel 718 Alloy

Abstract

Effects of solution treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties in wrought Alloy 718 were investigated. For the improvement of tensile and fatigue properties of wrought Alloy 718, a modified solution heat treatment(MSHT), heating at 1000 for 3 minutes followed by furnace cooling at the rate of 3/minute and holding at 985 for 8 minutes, was proposed. This treatment was performed repeatedly 3 times and the samples were subject to the standard aging treatment. For the purpose of comparison, a standard heat treatment(SHT) was also performed. The microstructures of modified solution heat treated specimens showed that small spherical shaped δ- phases were precipitated without grain growth, and the amount of δ-phases was smaller than that of standard heat treated specimens. However, the δ-phases of the standard heat-treated specimen showed needle-like morphologies. Tensile and low cycle fatigue tests were performed on both modified heat-treated and standard heat-treated specimens at room temperature, 350 and 650. Low cycle fatigue tests on the modified heat treated specimens showed promising results without reduction of strength. However, the tensile properties of modified solution treated specimens was almost the same as those of standard heat treated materials both at room temperature and 650.