HPA - 4 - Nickel-Based Superalloys

 During last two decades a large attention has
been paid to develop new high-temperature

structural materials that could overcome
properties, reliability and performance in
service applications of existing ones.
 Due to long-range ordered crystal structure

and specific properties, the intermetallic alloys
were assumed to fill an existing gap between
structural ceramics and classical metallic
alloys.
Nickel, titanium and iron based intermetallic alloys
represent a group of advanced materials with low
density, high melting temperature, ordered structure and
resistance to high-temperature oxidation developed for
high-temperature applications.
Multiphase nickel based intermetallic
alloys
o Since some properties (mainly brittleness at room
temperature and low creep resistance at high
temperatures) of single phase intermetallic
compounds Ni3Al and NiAl are not sufficient for
many structural applications, recent research was
focused on multiphase alloys and intermetallic matrix
composites.
o Several new original multi-component alloys with a
complex type of microstructure were developed and
prepared by casting technology.
Ternary system Ni-Al-Cr was doped by Fe, Ti, Ta,
Mo, Zr and B additions in order to improve room
temperature ductility and achieve superior creep
strength at intermediate temperatures.
With γ (Ni based solid solution) primary solidification phase;

With β (NiAl) primary solidification phase;
Near eutectic Ni-Al-Cr-Fe alloy.
Main research activities within new nickel
based intermetallic alloys
•Fundamentals of solidification - growth at planar,
cellular and dendritic solid-liquid interfaces
•Microstructure
characterization of
Ni-Al-Cr
based alloys
•Heattreatments of Ni-Al-Cr based alloys

Room and high-temperature mechanical properties of Ni-
Al-Cr based alloys
• (a) (b)
(a) Dendritic structure of multiphase Ni–21.9Al–8.1Cr–4.2Ta–
0.9Mo–0.3Zr (at.%) intermetallic alloy, (b) SEM micrograph
showing coexisting regions in after directional solidification
at V = 2.78 × 10−5 ms−1, D – dendrite, I – interdendritic
region, P – Cr-based particles.
Properties
o Resistance to high temperature oxidation, nitridation
and carburization ;
o Fatigue resistance superior to that of nickel based
superalloys ;
o High yield strength in a large temperature range
o Good tensile and compressive yield strength at 650 –
1100 °C ;
o Inferior mechanical properties comparing to those of
recent single crystalline nickel based superalloys.
Industrial applications
Transfer rolls
Heat treating trays
Centrifugally cast tubes
Rails for walking beam furnaces
Die blocks
Nuts and bolts
Corrosion resistance tool bits
Single crystal turbine blades
Nickel-based superalloy TMS82 during the early
stages of primary creep showing andislocation ribbon
passing through both precipitates and matrix.
Mechanical Properties and
Microstructure
Over the last 50 years turbine entry temperatures
(TET`s) have risen from 800ºC to 1600ºC. Materials
developments in all turbine components, are critical
to achieving this, but engine designers are looking for
a TET of 1800ºC to increase engine efficiency and
reduce environmental impact.
We focus on understanding the fundamental
mechanisms determining the mechanical properties of
turbine materials and use this to produce tools and
strategies for materials development and life
prediction.
Alloy development of fourth-generation
single-crystal alloys
Nickel-base single-crystal superalloys can be

strengthened by the addition of tungsten and
rhenium, but doing so while maintaining
reasonable density, stability and environmental
resistance requires careful optimization of the
composition and microstructure.
Creep strength comparison of binary
NiAl, alloyed NiAl single crystals, Microstructure of a
and a first-generation single-crystal creep-resistant NiAl-
nickel-base superalloy made at 3Ti-0.5Hf single-
1026oC (1880oF) and a strain rate of crystal alloy.
1x10-6 sec-1.
“Nimonics”
Key component of the microstructure is
precipitates of (Ni,Fe)3Al: γ`.
A modern superalloy might be 60 - 85% γ`
- nickel is effectively a “glue” holding the γ`
together.
The yield stress of γ`increases with increasing
temperature (up to about 700ºC)
Microstructure must be stable:
Any finely divided precipitate distribution will tend to
coarsen – driving force is lowering of interfacial energy.
γ` is nearly exactly lattice-matched to the Ni matrix.
Interfacial energy is nearly zero.
Alloy Additions
• Ti: goes into γ` - Ni3(Al, Ti) solid soln
strengthening of γ`
• Cr: goes into Ni matrix,
solid soln strengthening, corrosion resistance
• Co: goes into both Ni and γ` oxidation and
corrosion resistance lowers solubility of Al in
Ni, so enhances γ` formation, improves g` high
T stability
• C: combines with Cr, gives precipitates in Ni
• Mo, W: solid soln strengthening of Ni
• Ta: solid soln strengthening of γ`
• B: improves grain boundary and carbide / matrix
adhesion, so suppresses cavity formation in creep
• Hf: <0.5%, improves high T ductility (scavenges
• impurities?)
• Y: improves oxidation resistance
• Re: the latest “magic dust”: 3% extends
operating temperature considerably.
Typical Ni-based
Superalloys
 Nimonic 115: Nimonic 80A
Ni, 14.5% Cr, 13.3% Co, 3.8% Ti,

5.0% Al, 3.3% Mo, 0.15% C, 0.05% Zr, 0.016% B
- an early wrought alloy
 MAR M200:
Ni, 9% Cr, 10% Co, 1.5% Ti, 5.5% Al, 0.15% C,
0.05% Zr, 0.015% B, 10% W, 2.5% Ta, 1.5% Hf
- “standard” cast alloy
SRR99:
Ni, 8.5% Cr, 5% Co, 2.2% Ti, 5.5% Al, 9.5%
W, 2.8% Ta.
- Rolls Royce single crystal alloy
CMSX-4:
Ni, 6.5% Cr, 9% Co, 1% Ti, 5.6% Al, 0.6% Mo,
6% W, 6.5% Ta, 3% Re, 0.1% Hf
- advanced single crystal alloy
Yield strength, UTS, fracture strain,
etc, rather less
important than creep behaviour and
fatigue
behaviour.
Nickel-based superalloys represent the current
state-of-the-art for many high-temperature,
nonnuclear, power-generation applications. However,
these superalloys have not been tested in creep at the
combination of high temperatures and very long
service times anticipated in space nuclear power
generation. Designers need to know the creep
resistance of potential impeller materials at realistic
temperatures, stresses, and environments.
 MAR-M 247LC is a representative of the cast superalloys
currently used in impellers and rotors where the hub and
blades are cast as a single unit, and was selected for the
present evaluations at the NASA Glenn Research Center. Most
creep tests were performed in air using conventional, uniaxial-
lever-arm constant-load creep frames with resistance-heating
furnaces and shoulder-mounted extensometers.
 However, two tests were run in a specialized creep-testing
machine, where the specimens were sealed within
environmental chambers containing inert helium gas of
99.999-percent purity held slightly above atmospheric
pressure.
 All creep tests were performed according to the ASTM E139
standard.
o The cast MAR-M 247LC had irregular, very coarse grains
with widths near 700 μm and lengths near 800 to 12,000 μm.
The grains were often longer in the direction of primary
dendrite growth (see the photomicrographs).
o The microstructure was predominated by about 65 to
70 vol% of Ni3Al-type ordered intermetallic γ′
precipitates in a face-centered cubic γ matrix, with
minor MC and M23C6 carbides.
o The sizes of the γ′ precipitates varied from about 0.4
μm at dendrite cores to 3.0 μm between dendrites,
because of dendritic growth within grains.
Creep tests in air were designed to determine
allowable creep stresses for 700o, 820o, and 920 oC that
would give 1-percent creep in 10 years of service, a
typical goal for this application. This service goal
represented a target strain rate of 0.1 percent/year. Creep
strain rate to 0.2-percent creep is shown versus stress in
the following graph. Stresses of about 475, 150, and 70
MPa were estimated to achieve the target strain rate at
700o, 820o, and 920 oC, respectively.
Additional creep tests and analyses are
necessary, but a preliminary creep analysis using current test
results indicates quite good potential for an impeller
fabricated of MAR-M 247LC for maximum temperatures to
920 oC .
Creep stress versus
strain rate for
MAR-M 247LC,
showing estimated
stresses necessary
to achieve a
maximum strain
rate of 0.1 percent
per year.
Tests to estimate the effects of air versus inert
environments on creep resistance were also initiated.
The results of single tests in air at 1-atm pressure and
in helium at slightly above 1 atm at 820o and 920oC
are compared in the following graphs. Creep
progressed as fast or even faster in helium than in air
at 820o and 920oC.
The creep tests in air reasonably approximate
response in helium to low creep strain levels near 0.1
percent, but not at high strains. More tests are needed
for confirmation, but this suggests that there may be
no improvement in creep resistance due to the inert
environment .
Comparison of creep
response in air versus
helium. Top: 820oC.
Bottom: 920oC.
The new nickel-base
alloys represent a major
departure from previous
alloy design practices used
in industry for single-crystal
superalloys. Advances in
past superalloy development
for turbine blade
applications have been
accomplished with continued
increases in the refractory Measured densities of new
metal content, which
low-density superalloys
significantly increase alloy
density. High alloy densities compared with previously
have limited the use of the developed superalloys. The
advanced superalloys to most creep resistant, low-
specialized applications. density alloys are shown
here for comparison
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 During last two decades a large attention has

been paid to develop new high-temperature

 Due to long-range ordered crystal structure

With γ (Ni based solid solution) primary solidification phase;

•Heattreatments of Ni-Al-Cr based alloys

Nickel-base single-crystal superalloys can be

Ni, 14.5% Cr, 13.3% Co, 3.8% Ti,

Nickel & Cobalt Alloys The time-tested nickel

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