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Improvement for creep strength of a second-generation single crystal superalloy by design of heat treatments

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Abstract

Design of heat treatments is related to the key technology for development of nickel-based single crystal superalloys (Ni-SXs). Based on the full understanding of the solidification characteristics, this work applies optimization design of heat treatments for a second-generation Ni-SX. Microstructure evolution and creep properties are compared in the material under conventional/standard (Std.) and optimized (Opt.) treatments. For the Std. sample, strong dendritic segregations determine inconsistent microstructure evolution in the dendritic (D) and interdendritic region (ID), while the latter serves as weak area to have the prior microcrack initiation, damaging overall performance of the alloy. The Opt. treatment applies higher homogenization temperature, leading to overall reduced segregations, while not inducing incipient melting. A lower temperature of first-step ageing is used to lower the size of γ′ particles. These help to form the more uniform microstructure in dendritic and interdendritic region and relieve the inconsistent microstructure evolution. The balanced local strength makes ID no longer as the weak area, thus restricting microcrack initiation. Great improvement of high temperature and low stress property is obtained by this progress, leading to the pronounced increase of creep rupture life under 1100 °C /140 MPa.

摘要

热处理工艺设计是发展先进镍基单晶高温合金的关键技术。本文基于对一种第二代镍基单晶高温合金凝固特性的深入分析，进行了热处理工艺的优化设计，并系统的对比了材料在标准及优化热处理条件下的显微结构与蠕变性能。标准热处理后材料仍具有较强的枝晶偏析，使得枝晶核与枝晶间区域在蠕变过程中的组织演化存在不一致，而后者则作为薄弱点使微裂纹集中在该区域产生，损害合金的整体性能。优化热处理通过工艺设计提高了均匀化处理的温度，在不发生初熔的前提下有效减轻了枝晶偏析；同时采用了更低的第一步时效热处理温度，以减小γ′沉淀相处尺寸。这些办法使得枝晶核与枝晶间区域形成了更一致的热处理组织，同时也抑制了蠕变组织演化的不一致性。得益于此，枝晶核与枝晶间的局部强度更加均衡，有效抑制了枝晶间的微裂纹萌生，提高了材料在高温低应力条件下的蠕变抗性，延长了1100 ℃/140 MPa持久寿命。

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 91960201), the Key Basic Research Program of Zhejiang Province (No. 2020C01002), Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. LR22E010003 and Q23E010029), the National Science and Technology Major Project of China (No. J2019-III-0008-0051) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 226-2022-00050).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Superalloys Science and Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China

    Wan-Shun Xia, Xin-Bao Zhao, Jia-Chen Xu, Quan-Zhao Yue, Qing-Qing Ding, Huan-Chang Duan, Yue-Feng Gu, Hong-Bin Bei & Ze Zhang

  2. State Key Laboratory of Silicon and Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China

    Xin-Bao Zhao, Yue-Feng Gu, Hong-Bin Bei & Ze Zhang

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  1. Wan-Shun Xia
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  2. Xin-Bao Zhao
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Xia, WS., Zhao, XB., Xu, JC. et al. Improvement for creep strength of a second-generation single crystal superalloy by design of heat treatments. Rare Met. 43, 342–350 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-023-02361-6

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