The Effect of Solidification Rates and Thermal Gradients on Directionally Solidified Microsturucture in the Ni-Base Superally GTD111M

Abstract

Morphological evolution and growth mechanism at the solid/liquid interface during solidification were investigated in the Ni-base superalloy GTD111M by directional soldification and quenching(DSQ) technique. The experiments were conducted by changing solidification rate(V) and thermal gradient(G) which are major solidification process variables. High thermal gradient condition could be obtained by increasing the furnace temperature and closely attaching the heating and cooling zones in the Bridgeman type furnace. The dendritic/equiaxed transition was found in the G/V value lower than <TEX>$0.05<TEX>$\times$</TEX>10{^3}^{\circ}C$</TEX>s/<TEX>$\textrm{mm}^2$</TEX>, and the planar interface of the MC-<TEX>${\gamma}$</TEX> eutectic was found under <TEX>$17 <TEX>$\times$</TEX> 10{^3}^{\circ}C$</TEX> s/<TEX>$\textrm{mm}^2$</TEX>. It was confirmed that the dendrite spacing depended on the cooling rate(GV), and the primary spacing was affected by the thermal gradient more than solidification rate. The dendrite lengths were decreased as increasing the thermal graditne, and the dendrite tip temperature was close to the liquidus temperature at <TEX>$50 \mu\textrm{m}$</TEX>/s.