Gamma Prime Phase Stability After Long-Term Thermal Exposure in Cast Nickel Based Superalloy, IN-738
Gamma Prime Phase Stability After Long-Term Thermal Exposure in Cast Nickel Based Superalloy, IN-738
Gamma Prime Phase Stability After Long-Term Thermal Exposure in Cast Nickel Based Superalloy, IN-738
2009; 36(3)
1. INTRODUCTION
Nickel based superalloys are structural (for both low and high temperatures) can be
materials with chemical composition and related to their manufacturing processes. One
structure, which have been developed to of these processes is heat treatment, which
enable the use at high temperature applications. solution treatment in most cases, followed
The microstructures and mechanical properties by a single or a double aging sequence to
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experimental heat treatments are shown in hours in order to investigate the coarsening
Table 2. Then reheat treated specimens after behavior of gamma prime particles after
each condition were heated at both 900 oC and various reheat treatments.
1,000 oC for 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, and 2500 All sectioned samples after each aging
were ground and polished using standard agglomerated gamma prime particles can
metallographic techniques and were sub- be seen. Coalescence of the primary and
sequently etched in marble etchant. The secondary gamma prime particles, as result of
etchant’s chemical compositions are: 10 g. long-term service, seems to occur resulting in
CuSO4, 50 ml HCl, and 50 ml H2O. The larger and rounded particles. However, carbide
microstructures of heat treatment samples and/or gamma prime phases normally lowers
were study by scanning electron microscope ductility or toughness of blade alloy. This can
with secondary electron mode and Image lead to lower creep strength and impact
Analyzer. The size and volume fraction of resistant of the blades.
gamma prime particles were determined. In this study, the airfoil microstructure
showing significant degradation in service,
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION the coarse gamma prime particle size was
3.1 As-received Microstructure about 1.2 micron. The primary gamma prime
The SEM photograph, obtained from the particles have spheroidized and secondary
transverse sections at about mid blade gamma prime coarsened in the airfoil samples.
height of the airfoil, is shown in Figure 1a. This type of microstructure is theoretically
The microstructure of as-cast alloy generally expected to have low efficiency to block
consists of extensive precipitation of ordered dislocation movements during loading at high
L12 γ intermetallic phase within dendrite temperatures resulting in lower creep
core and in the interdendritic region. The resistance. Therefore, it is needed to recover
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gamma prime particles greatly more coarsened During long-term heating, secondary
into round shape than those in each initially gamma prime particles would dissolve into
reheat treated specimens. In the alloy, the the matrix and then diffused to agglomerate
degree of coarsening, as determined by with the coarse gamma prime particles.
gamma prime particle size, increased with Considering the coarsening behavior of
both increasing heating temperature and time. gamma prime particles at 900oC and 1,000oC
At each heating temperature, the size of (Figures 2 and 4), it was found that the
gamma prime particles increased, and the area microstructures under previous reheat treatment
fraction of gamma prime particle decreased with of conditions No. 5 was the most stable ones
increasing heating time. It was also observed due to the slowest coarsening rate of gamma
that an increasing heating temperature prime particles. When considering Figures 3
resulted in lower amount of gamma prime and 5, it could be seen that the area fraction of
precipitation. total gamma prime particles of specimen
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
Figure 1. SEM micrographs of a) As-received microstructure after long-term service, b)
After standard heat-treatment at 1,125oC / 2hr. (AC) and 845oC / 24 hr. (AC); Condition
No. 1, c) After long-term exposure at 900oC for 2,500 hours; Condition No. 1 and d) After
long-term exposure at 1,000oC for 2,500 hours; Condition No. 1.
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under all reheat treatment conditions reduction of area fractions of gamma prime
continuously decreased with heating time. It particles comparing to those of the lower
was also found that the higher heating temperature.
temperature of 1,000oC resulted in faster
Figure 2. The relationship between heating time and average size of gamma
prime particles at 900oC.
Figure 3. The relationship between heating time and average area fraction of
precipitated phase at 900oC.
318 Chiang Mai J. Sci. 2009; 36(3)
Figure 4. The relationship between heating time and average size of gamma
prime particles at 1,000oC.
Figure 5. The relationship between heating time and average area fraction
of precipitated phase at 1,000oC.
4.CONCLUSIONS
1. The reheat-treated microstructure exposure at both 900oC and 1,000oC.
according to program No. 5 provided the 2. In almost reheat-treated microstruc-
most precipitated phase stability in term of tures, average area fractions of gamma prime
minimum coarsening rate after long-term phase clearly decreased with heating time.
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