The SEM and TEM Analysis of IN718 Alloy after Fatigue Push-Pull Loading at 700°C

Abstract

Specimens from Ni-Cr-Fe wrought superalloy INCONEL 718 were used for fatigue push-pull test at elevated temperature 700 °C. Fatigue loading was with the coefficient of cycle asymmetry R = -1. Temperature of fatigue test was chosen from two reasons; one is that limit operating temperature for this type of alloy is 650 – 700 °C due to precipitation of stable but incoherent orthorhombic Ni3Nb delta phase; the second reason for this temperature is fact that metastable body-centred tetragonal Ni3Nb gamma double prime phase starts to transform to delta phase and from that reason there is an expectation for mechanical properties decreasing due to increased volume of delta phase. For evaluation of fatigued specimens were Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) observation used. Also methods of quantitative metallography – coherent testing grids were used for evaluation of delta phase volume. Some references describe that higher volume of delta phase, mostly situated at grain boundaries, act as initiation sites for cracks and therefore decreasing mechanical properties. Employed SEM and TEM analysis confirm the increased volume of delta phase in specimens after fatigue loading but a negative influence on dynamic properties, such fatigue lifetime, for this alloy was not confirmed.