Thermal Analysis of Nickel-Base Superalloys by Differential Scanning Calorimetry

Abstract

Appropriate thermo-mechanical properties of nickel-based superalloys are achieved by heat treatment, which induces precipitation and solid solution hardening; thus, information on the temperature ranges of precipitation and dissolution of the precipitates is essential for the determination of the heat treatment condition. In this study, thermal analyses of nickel-based superalloys were performed by differential scanning calorimetry method under conditions of various heating rates of 5, 10, 20, or 40K/min in a temperature range of 298~1573K. Precipitation and dissolution temperatures were determined by measuring peak temperatures, constructing trend lines, and extrapolating those lines to the zero heating rate to find the exact temperature under isothermal condition. Determined temperatures for the precipitation reactions were 813, 952, and 1062K. Determined onset, peak, and offset temperatures of the first dissolution reaction were 1302, 1388, and 1406K, respectively, and those values of the second dissolution reaction were 1405, 1414, and 1462K. Determined solvus temperature was 1462K. The study showed that it was possible to use a simple method to obtain accurate phase transition temperatures under isothermal condition.