SEDL / STP / STP643-EB / STP25601S

In Situ Auger Electron Spectroscopy Tensile Fracture Study of Nickel Alloys

Walsh, JM
Assistant materials project engineer and senior materials engineers, Materials Engineering and Research Laboratory, Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, Middletown, Conn

Gumz, KP
Assistant materials project engineer and senior materials engineers, Materials Engineering and Research Laboratory, Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, Middletown, Conn

Anderson, NP
Assistant materials project engineer and senior materials engineers, Materials Engineering and Research Laboratory, Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, Middletown, Conn

Pages: 11    Published: Jan 1978

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Abstract

An elevated temperature tensile fracture device has been built for in situ Auger electron spectroscopy studies that permits characterization of grain boundary chemistry of high-temperature structural materials. The system has been applied to a series of commercial nickel-base superalloys doped with impurities known to have deleterious effects on the mechanical properties. Clear grain boundary segregation of the elements bismuth, tellurium, lead, and sulfur has been observed confirming that the elements most harmful to the mechanical properties of superalloys are also those that are grain boundary active. The additive hafnium was found to be effective in restricting the grain boundary segregation of sulfur by combining with sulfur to form a stable carbosulfide compound.