Low temperature carbide precipitation in a nickel base superalloy

Abstract

A M₂₃C₆ carbide phase has been observed to precipitate at relatively low temperatures (732 to 760 °C) in a nickel base superalloy.* Transmission Electron Microscopy shows the low temperature carbide to reside at the grain boundaries in a continuous morphology. The continuous carbide has a typical width of 25 to 40 nm with aspect ratios on the order of 30:1. The structure of the carbide is face-centered cubic with a lattice parameter (α₀) of approximately 1.063 nm, which is typical of the M₂₃C₆ carbides that form at higher temperatures. STEM analysis indicates the carbide to have a typical M₂₃C₆ chemistry, enriched in chromium with lesser amounts of molybdenum, cobalt, and nickel. The formation of the continuous carbide occurs readily around 760 °C; however, at temperatures 55 °C lower the precipitation kinetics are significantly reduced. The extent of the low temperature carbide reaction is observed to be dependent upon the duration of the low temperature exposure and the degree of prior M₂₃C₆ stabilization at an intermediate temperature. Alloy modifications, involving hafnium additions and lower carbon levels, were studied with the aim of reducing the extent of this carbide reaction. Despite these chemistry modifications, the low temperature carbide was still observed to form to an appreciable extent. The presence of the continuous carbide is also observed to reduce the stress-rupture life of the alloy.