SEDL / STP / STP1428-EB / STP11430S

Enhancement of Thermomechanical Fatigue Resistance of a Monocrystalline Nickel-base Superalloy by Pre-rafting

Neuner, FC
Research Associate and Professor, Institut für Werkstoffwissenschaften, Lehrstuhl I, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen,

Tetzlaff, U
Former Research Associate, AUDIAG, Ingolstadt,

Mughrabi, H
Research Associate and Professor, Institut für Werkstoffwissenschaften, Lehrstuhl I, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen,

Pages: 15    Published: Jan 2003

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Abstract

In γ'-hardened monocrystalline nickel-base superalloys having a negative γ/γ' lattice misfit, the prior introduction of so-called γ/γ' rafts aligned parallel to the stress axis (by a small creep pre-deformation in compression) has been shown to enhance both the high-temperature isothermal fatigue strength and the tensile creep resistance. It was hence of interest to perform a systematic study of the thermo-mechanical fatigue (TMF) behavior of specimens of a monocrystalline nickel-base superalloy with the main aim to test whether an initial γ/γ' raft microstructure can also enhance the TMF resistance. The experiments were performed on [001]-orientated monocrystalline specimens of the superalloy SRR 99 which contained either the initial γ/γ'-microstructure with cuboidal γ' precipitates or a γ/γ' raft microstructure aligned roughly parallel to the stress axis. The latter was introduced by a small compressive creep deformation of less than 0.4% at a temperature of 1050°C and a stress of 120 MPa. Different strain-controlled TMF cycle forms were employed. However, in most tests a counter-clockwise-diamond (CCD) cycle (temperature interval ΔT = 600°C–1100°C) was used with a total strain rate of 6.67∙10^-5 s^-1. This CCD cycle is considered to be close to service conditions. The mechanical strain range Δε^m was varied in the range of Δε^mech = 1%, leading to fatigue lives in the order of some 1000 cycles. It could be shown that pre-rafting in compression enhances the TMF fatigue life significantly for all cases of CCD-cycles investigated.