Cast Superalloy Research Articles

Modelling freckles and spurious grain formation in directionally solidified superalloy castings

Segregation channels with misoriented spurious grains, known as freckles, are an unacceptable casting defect in superalloy turbine blades. A digital-twin method to predict segregation channels was proposed in our previous studies; however, the formation of spurious grains was ignored. Here, we extend the digital twin methodology by incorporating dendrite fragmentation, which is recognized as the predominant mechanism in the formation of spurious grains. The flow-induced fragmentation process has been refined to account for the timing of dendrite pinch-off. A three-phase mixed columnar-equiaxed solidification model was used to track the motion of the crystal fragments. Directional solidification experiments for superalloy casting were conducted in an industrial-scale Bridgman furnace, and the distribution of spurious grains in the freckles was metallographically analysed. Excellent simulation-experiment-agreement was achieved. Based on this study, the formation of spurious grains within the segregation channels is mainly caused by the flow-driven fragmentation mechanism. Experimentally measured freckles can be reproduced only if the timing of the dendrite pinch-off is considered.

A Kinetic Model for Oxide–Carbonitride Inclusion Heterogeneous Nucleation and Precipitation during Superalloy Solidification

Complex oxide–carbonitrides (MgO-Ti(CN), Al2O3-Ti(CN), and MgO·Al2O3-Ti(CN)) are the most common non-metallic inclusions presented in cast and wrought superalloys. In this work, a coupled kinetics model was proposed to predict the complex oxide–carbonitride inclusion’s precipitation behavior during the solidification of superalloys. This model takes into account thermodynamics, micro-segregation, heterogeneous nucleation in the inter-dendritic liquid, and growth controlled by the diffusion of solute elements and kinetics of interfacial reaction. The results demonstrated that both the cooling rate and nitrogen content take significant effects on the final size of complex oxide–carbonitride inclusions, as the former controls the total growth time and the latter determines the initial precipitation temperature. In comparison, the particle size of primary oxides shows a negligible impact on the final size of complex inclusions. The practice of an industrial vacuum arc remelting confirmed that the inclusion size variation predicted by the present model is reasonably consistent with the experimental results.

A Monte-Carlo approach for crack initiation modeling of cast superalloys informed by crystal plasticity

Crystal plasticity simulations of materials to assess the fatigue response on the microscale are becoming increasingly popular in industrial application. However, in the case of parts made from cast Ni-base superalloys, the amount of pores in a part combined with the fine spatial discretization around the pores needed due to strong mechanical gradients quickly leads to a computationally impractical number of mesh elements. In this paper we show an alternative to explicit crystal plasticity modeling of part-scale porosity by introducing a Monte-Carlo submodel that recombines the fatigue response of single pores predicted by crystal plasticity into the fatigue response of the pore agglomerate. The model can be applied in realtime due to the use of precomputed crystal plasticity results. We demonstrate that fatigue indicator parameters predicted by the Monte-Carlo submodel agree well with those predicted by explicit crystal plasticity simulations. Lastly, we apply the proposed model to study the influence of different porosity volume percentages, pore sizes and pore morphologies on the fatigue indicator parameters of a cast MAR-M247 superalloy.

The Effects of Microstructure on the Thermophysical Properties of the K439B Ni-Based Superalloy

The thermophysical properties of superalloys are critical for the design, fabrication, and service of hot-end components in engines. In this work, the influence of microstructure on the thermophysical parameters including heat conductivity, thermal diffusivity, heat expansion coefficient, and specific heat capacity of the K439B superalloy, which is a prospective cast superalloy for engine casings, were investigated from 100 °C to 900 °C. It has been observed that these properties increase with temperature, especially between 700 °C and 800 °C, for alloys subjected to different heat treatment processes. When compared under the same temperature, these parameters decrease with an increase in the size and volume fraction of the γ′ phase in the alloys. Meanwhile, the interfaces between the γ/γ′ phase and the boundaries between dendrites also impeded the heat treatment. It can be concluded that among the alloys with different heat treatment process, the sequence 1160 °C/4 h + 1080 °C/4 h + 845 °C/20 h exhibited the most stable heat conductivity and lowest heat expansion coefficient, making it advantageous for high-temperature service.

Versatile fluidity test model for cast superalloys and comparison between IN718 and IN939

A spiral fluidity test model of superalloys with 10 mm in height and 3 mm in thickness was designed to evaluate the fluidity of two distinct Ni-based superalloys IN718 and IN939. The factors influencing fluidity are ascertained through comparative analysis utilizing methodologies such as JMatPro, differential scanning calorimetry and high-temperature confocal laser scanning microscopy. The results show that under identical testing conditions, the fluidity of the IN939 superalloy surpasses that of the IN718 superalloy. When subjected to the same temperature, the melt viscosity and surface tension of IN939 superalloy are considerably reduced relative to those of IN718 superalloy, which is beneficial to improving the melt fluidity. Furthermore, the liquidus temperature and solidification range for the IN939 superalloy are both smaller compared with those of the IN718 superalloy. This condition proves advantageous in delaying dendrite coherency, thereby improving fluidity.

Correction: Comparative Study on the Cleanliness and Mechanical Properties of a Cast and Wrought Ni-Based Superalloy GH4738 Prepared with Revert Addition

Correction: Comparative Study on the Cleanliness and Mechanical Properties of a Cast and Wrought Ni-Based Superalloy GH4738 Prepared with Revert Addition

Al- and Ta-Modified Alloy 740 Superalloy Castings Produced in Non-vacuum Conditions—Microstructure and Selected Properties

The work focuses on characterizing the microstructure and selected properties of Al- (1.3 or 2.8 wt pct) and Ta-modified (2 or 3 or 4 wt pct) Alloy 740 Ni-based superalloy after heat treatment. The observations and analyses were conducted using thermodynamic simulations, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, steam oxidation, hardness, tensile, and stress rupture tests. The castings exhibit a typical dendritic structure, with the presence of fine γ′ precipitates, Nb-rich Laves phase precipitates, MC carbides, and MN nitrides are found in all modified castings. However, the presence of the η phase, G phase, and M23C6 is dependent on the superalloy’s chemical composition. At room temperature, the reference cast superalloy had an ultimate tensile strength and yield strength of 655 MPa and 477 MPa, respectively. In modified castings, the ultimate tensile strength and YS are higher, respectively, 713–1046 MPa and 705–903 MPa. After steam oxidation at 760 °C/1000 h, the mass gain of the modified castings was in the range of 0.339–0.429 mg/cm2. The addition of tantalum resulted in decreased oxidation resistance and the formation of the TiTaO4 oxide at the Cr2O3/superalloy interface.

Investigation of oxide inclusion films in cast superalloy impeller

Investigation of oxide inclusion films in cast superalloy impeller

Surface morphology and integrity research of ultrasonic-assisted milling of cast superalloy K4169

The nickel-based casting superalloy K4169 is extensively utilized in aerospace engines for its extraordinary mechanical and thermal properties. However, achieving high surface integrity of the superalloy remains challenging. Ultrasonic-assisted machining (UAM) is an advantageous technology, while the influence on cast superalloy is imperative to be revealed. The study on surface morphology and integrity of K4169 was carried out using ultrasonic-assisted end milling. The results showed that the ultrasonic vibration effectively suppresses surface defects and facilitates a regular surface texture. A more significant deformed layer of 7.3 μm was induced in UAM, representing a 97% enhancement relative to CM. Additionally, surface microhardness and compressive residual stress show a tendency to increase with ultrasonic amplitude. Specifically, the surface compressive residual stress in UAM reached 822 MPa, signifying a 69.6% increase over CM.

Synergistic influence of cerium and yttrium micro-addition on microstructure and mechanical tensile properties of K465 nickel based superalloy

The microstructures and room temperature tensile properties of a nickel-based cast superalloy K465 were investigated with the cerium (Ce) and cerium + yttrium (Y) additions, respectively. In K465 superalloys, Ce element was found to distribute in the internal grains of K465. And, the Y element was shown to combine towards with the MC carbides. The tensile properties experienced increasement with the addition of Ce and Y, 0.86 % increasement for Ce addition and 8.35 % increasement for Ce + Y addition. The synergistic effect of rare earths element plays a positive role in the mechanical properties of the nickel based superalloy.

Effect of heat treatment on the microstructure and recrystallization of an SLM nickel-based superalloy

Heat treatment is essential for selective laser melting (SLM) of nickel-based superalloys. However, the conventional solution heat treatment method of cast superalloys usually leads to serious recrystallization in the samples. The recrystallized grain boundaries under high-temperature conditions reduce the strength of the alloy, which hinders their widespread applications in aerospace. In this work, a nickel-based superalloy with high γ′ content fabricated by SLM was heat-treated at different solution temperatures. The microstructure of the alloy in different heat-treated states was also characterised. A sub-solvus heat treatment was proposed, which can effectively reduce residual stress and inhibit recrystallization. The microstructure showed that the dislocation density was significantly reduced and recrystallized after the solution heat treatment at 1285 ℃/2 h+1290 ℃/2 h+1295 ℃/4 h and 1250 ℃/0.5 h, and the proportion of recrystallization were 60.0 % and 42.9 %, respectively. However, after sub-solvus heat treatment at 1240 °C/0.5 h, the sample dislocation density decreased and the volume fraction of recrystallization (3.2 %) was slightly higher than that of the as-SLM sample (2.5 %). The sample maintained a strong cubic texture in the build direction. After sub-solvus + aging heat treatment, the microstructure maintained a columnar grain structure. The γ/γ′ interfacial dislocation networks and dislocations pile-up were the main dislocation configurations.

Comparative Study on the Cleanliness and Mechanical Properties of a Cast and Wrought Ni-Based Superalloy GH4738 Prepared with Revert Addition

Comparative Study on the Cleanliness and Mechanical Properties of a Cast and Wrought Ni-Based Superalloy GH4738 Prepared with Revert Addition

Characterisation of the creep cavitation process on grain boundaries in a polycrystalline nickel-base alloy 247

ABSTRACT Hot gas components such as gas turbine blades are loaded with constant centrifugal stress at high temperatures and thus the formation of creep cavitation on grain boundaries is expedited. Conventionally cast polycrystalline Nickel-base superalloys used as blade materials are prone to creep cavitation as unfavourably orientated grain boundaries exist. This research presents a diffusion-based probabilistic creep model which describes the creep cavitation process on grain boundaries. It includes the three mechanisms: pore nucleation, growth, and coalescence. The calibration of the model has been carried out by analysing Alloy 247 as-received specimens and specimens with pre-strain. For the evaluation of the pore numbers and sizes, a deep learning model for pore detection was trained on light microscopic and scanning electron microscopy images. Electron backscatter diffraction images are analysed for further investigations regarding grain orientations and grain boundary angles to the loading direction. The calibrated model allows predictions of pore size distributions over time.

Effects of shell mold heating temperature on microstructures and freckle formation of single crystal superalloys

To study the effects of shell mold heating temperature on the microstructure and freckle formation of single crystal superalloys, the directional solidification experiment and simulation were conducted with designed stepwise specimens. The temperature field and morphology of mushy zone were analyzed. The results show that the primary and secondary dendrite arm spacings both decrease with the rise of shell mold heating temperature. This reduces the permeability of the liquid in the mushy zone and the width of the thermal-solutal convection channel, which reduces the formation tendency of freckles, the width of freckles and the number of dendritic fragments in freckled areas. In addition, with the increase of shell mold heating temperature, the cooling rate of liquid in the mushy zone increases, which reduces the cooling time of the melt in the mushy zone, weakens the breaking capability of liquid flow to the dendrite, and further reduces the tendency of freckle formation in single crystal superalloy castings.

The influence of γ′ morphology and size on stress rupture properties in Ni-base superalloy IN738LC

This study investigates the influence of γ′ precipitate morphology and size on the creep deformation of the cast superalloy IN738LC under conditions of 760–982 °C and 78–674 MPa. Two microstructures were obtained by different heat treatments. The analysis of the experiments show that, according to the applied stress at 760 °C and 871 °C, the S1A material, with a bimodal distribution with large cuboidal γ′ and small spherical γ′, exhibited the longer creep life compared to those with a monomodal distribution with spherical γ′ precipitates. In the creep test at 760 °C, the S1A material exhibited a stacking fault within the primary cuboidal-shaped γ′ phase. The main deformation mechanism observed was isolated stacking fault (ISF) formation. Conversely, for the S2A material, an extended stacking fault (ESF) was observed, where dislocations continuously traversed several γ′ and γ phases. At 871 °C in low-stress creep tests, the S1A alloy displayed a dislocation network resulting from thermal activation, with localized stacking faults. In the S2A alloy, three-dimensional dislocations generated by climb were primarily observed around spherical γ′ precipitates, accompanied by localized stacking faults. At 982 °C, both S1A and S2A alloys exhibited rafting under lower stress, displaying similar lifetimes. The formation of a regular dislocation network at the interface between γ′ and γ matrix and rafting of γ′ precipitate proved beneficial in improved creep resistance of the alloy.

Influence of intermediate carbon content on the microstructure and high-temperature mechanical properties of cast and wrought Ni-based superalloy nimonic 105

NIMONIC® 105 variants with three different carbon concentrations were manufactured. The medium carbon content variant shows inferior creep properties due to a bimodal grain size distribution and non-uniform carbides repartition leading to plastic strain accumulation between the two domains. This eventually facilitated facile cracking and void formation during high-temperature creep.

Effect of thickness on microstructure of thin-walled nickel-based single-crystal superalloy castings

With increasing turbine inlet temperatures in aero-engines, the demand for temperature-resistant turbine blades has led to the widespread use of nickel-based single crystal superalloys. These alloys, known for their exceptional performance in high-temperature and high-stress environments, incorporate advanced cooling structures like lamilloy and double wall cooling to enhance temperature tolerance. As the development of aviation technology, thin-walled structures are widely used in turbine blades of aero-engines. However, the adoption of ultra-thin wall structures, particularly in lamilloy turbine blades with thicknesses of 0.5 mm or less, presents a significant manufacturing challenge and will cause the degradation of mechanical properties. This study delves into the growth and evolution of dendrites in the nickel-based single-crystal superalloy DD403, exploring thin-walled specimens with varying thicknesses during directional solidification. Findings reveal that decreasing wall thickness correlates with a reduction in average primary dendrite arm spacing, smaller γ′ precipitates sizes within the dendrite core and interdendritic regions, and reduced microsegregation levels of Al, Ti, Co and W. These insights contribute to optimizing thin-walled turbine blade performance in aero-engines applications.

Freckle prediction model incorporating geometrical effects for Ni-based single-crystal superalloy components

A freckle is a grain defect frequently found in Ni-based single-crystal (SC) superalloy castings resulting in a high scrap rate. A precise prediction of the defect before production is of great importance, especially for the complex-shaped blades and vanes. Without reckoning geometrical effects, the state-of-the-art Rayleigh number (Ra) model fails to accurately forecast the freckle formation positions. In this study, a novel Ra-based mathematical model was proposed. It not only shortened the calculation period and eliminated the physically meaningless at the singularity of the existing model, but also quantified the geometrical effects. Using the model, the Ra at every position of SC castings was calculated, which can be used to evaluate the freckling tendency of the whole casting and locate the specific positions of the freckling risk zone. A freckle-free approximate critical Rayleigh number about 1.5 was determined. A highly consistent and accurate prediction of this model was validated by comparing it with the experiments using complex-shaped SC castings, which suggests its great prospects for industrial application.

Overcoming intermediate-temperature brittleness via regulating trimodal γʹ structure in a novel multi-principal element alloy

Solving the intermediate-temperature brittleness (ITB) of traditional superalloys and multi-principal element alloys (MPEAs) is a serious challenge. In this paper, a novel MPEA with superior mechanical performance is prepared and successfully overcomes the ITB by simple heat treatment. The effects of different solution treatments on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the alloy are studied. This work shows that the dendrite structure with trimodal γʹ structure is preserved by the subsolvus heat treatment. The heterogeneously distributed trimodal γʹ structure with high volume fraction primary γʹ phases in the interdendritic region effectively prevents the localized slip and enhances the pinning effect of grain boundaries, which inhibits the generation of ITB. The yield strengths of the MPEA with trimodal γʹ structure are 802 ± 17 MPa at 973 K, 814 ± 20.7 MPa at 1023 K and 776 ± 9 MPa at 1073 K, respectively, which are superior than that of most cast superalloys and MPEAs. Moreover, the elongations of the MPEA at 973 K, 1023 K and 1073 K are 10.6 ± 1.3 %, 14.2 ± 1.4 % and 11.0 ± 1.5 %, respectively, which increase by 214.9 %, 510 % and 219.4 %, respectively, compared with the MPEA with uniformly distributed bimodal γʹ structure. Meanwhile, the MPEA shows the best intermediate temperature plasticity (14.2 ± 1.4 %) at 1023 K due to the microstwinning. The scheme of combining MPEAs with the trimodal γʹ structure and microtwinning opens up a new avenue for the development and manufacture of advanced high-temperature structural materials.

Novel Ni–Co-based superalloys with high thermal stability and specific yield stress discovered by directed energy deposition

We report on the rapid alloy screening of Ni–Co–Ti–Al–Mo superalloys with high thermal stability and specific yield stress by means of directed energy deposition. A laser directed energy deposition, a specific type of additive manufacturing, was employed using multiple powder feeders and elemental powders. Fifty superalloys of different compositions were deposited and the heat-treated microstructure and γ' solvus temperature were examined. The 43Ni–38Co–9Ti–6Al–4Mo superalloy (atomic percent composition) exhibited a uniform γ/γ' microstructure and a γ' solvus temperature of 1202°C. The beneficial properties of the superalloy were also found in the cast superalloy of identical composition. The cast superalloy exhibited a thermally stable γ/γ' microstructure with cuboidal γ' precipitates even after long-term aging heat treatments at 800°C, 900°C, and 1000°C up to 500 h. The γ'-coarsening mechanism was evaluated based on the Lifshitz–Slyozov–Wagner model and the trans-interface diffusion-controlled model. A transition between these two mechanisms was observed with an increase in aging temperature. Atom probe tomography analyses revealed that the sluggish interface diffusion of Co and corresponding reduction of the interfacial energy induced the transition of the γ'-coarsening mechanism. Moreover, the cast superalloy showed an enhanced specific yield stress attributed to its exceptionally low alloy density of 7.61 g/cm3.