Microstructure and Mechanical Properties Determined in Compressive Tests of Quasi-Rapidly Solidified NiAl-Cr(Mo)-Hf Eutectic Alloy After Hot Isostatic Pressure and High Temperature Treatments

Abstract

The effect of high cooling rate of approximately 102 K/s and subsequent hot isostatic pressure (HIP) and high temperature (HT) treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of NiAl-based intermetallic alloys was investigated. The results reveal that rapid solidification refines the microstructure of the NiAl-Cr(Mo)-0.5Hf eutectic alloy and transforms the Ni2AlHf Heusler phase, which is present in the equilibrium state to a metastable Hf(Ni, Al, Cr) solid solution phase. Simultaneously, the shape and distribution of the Hf(Ni, Al, Cr) solid solution phase were considerably improved. After the HIP treatment, the Hf(Ni, Al, Cr) solid solution phase has changed from continuous distribution along eutectic cell boundaries into semicontinuous distribution, and the primary NiAl(Cr, Mo) phase has coarsened. The HT treatment reduces the volume fraction of the primary NiAl(Cr, Mo) phase and optimizes the distribution of the Hf(Ni, Al, Cr) solid solution phase. Rapid solidification and the resulting fine-grained microstructure will significantly improve the mechanical properties of the alloy in compression tests. However, additional HIP and HT treatments enhance the high-temperature strength properties obviously.