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High Temperature Tensile Behavior of a Nickel-Based Superalloy 55Ni-17Cr-12Fe-9Mo-2Nb-1.5Al Used in Launch Vehicle Applications

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Abstract

55Ni-17Cr-12Fe-9Mo-2Nb-1.5Al alloy is a nickel-based superalloy (Russian designation is XH55MбЮ or KhN55MBYu, XH55) without any equivalent in American/European alloy designation. It is used in cryogenic engine of satellite launch vehicles application in two different heat-treated conditions: (1) standard aged (STA) at 730 °C/15 h + 650 °C/10 h and (2) STA + BC (brazing cycle) treatment carried out in vacuum at 1030 °C with holding time of 30 min. Due to the braze cycle adopted for manufacturing, it is essential to study the deterioration in mechanical properties, if any. Hence, the present work is carried out to understand the material behavior in tensile mode (25, 425, 575, 700 and 900 °C) for XH55 alloy in STA condition and STA + BC conditions, compared with corresponding microstructural analysis, morphology and composition using microscopy at various length scales. The tensile stress–strain curve shows characteristic sudden drops in stress with respect to strain, attributed to dynamic strain aging at different temperatures for both STA and STA + BC conditions. In STA condition, the yield strength of the material decreased with increase in temperature. In STA + BC condition, the yield strength decreased up to 425 °C, increased up to 700 °C as the material was subjected to artificial aging during testing and finally decreased at 900 °C. Marginal deterioration in mechanical properties have been observed due to the braze cycle adopted against STA condition.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are great full to Dr. Sivakumar, Head, HWMD for extending heat treatment facility to carry out this work. The authors also acknowledge the support of Mr. Chenna Krishna S, MPD toward DSC experiments and Dr. Jalaja K, MCD for XRD data analysis. Authors wish to thank GD, MMG and DD, MME for encouragement and support provided and also thank Director, VSSC for his continuous support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Materials Testing Division, Material Characterisation and Testing Group, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Indian Space Research Organization, Trivandrum, Kerala, 695022, India

    P. Manikandan, G. Sudarshan Rao, K. Saravanan & V. M. J. Sharma

  2. Material Characterisation Division, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Trivandrum, 695022, India

    V. S. K. Chakravadhanula & S. V. S. Narayana Murty

  3. Materials and Mechanical Entity, Liquid Propulsion Space Centre, Trivandrum, 695547, India

    M. Amruth

  4. Materials Characterisation and Testing Group, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Trivandrum, 695022, India

    P. Ramesh Narayanan

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Fig. S1

Microstructure of specimen prepared from gauge portions near the fractured edge of sample in STA + BC condition tested at 700 °C showing (a) STEM image showing fine precipitates within the grains (b) and (c) STEM image and BFTEM image showing grain boundary triple junction and precipitates distributed along the grain boundaries, respectively (TIFF 493 kb)

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Manikandan, P., Sudarshan Rao, G., Saravanan, K. et al. High Temperature Tensile Behavior of a Nickel-Based Superalloy 55Ni-17Cr-12Fe-9Mo-2Nb-1.5Al Used in Launch Vehicle Applications. J. of Materi Eng and Perform 29, 377–390 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-019-04525-x

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