Phase transformation strengthening of high-temperature superalloys

T. M. Smith; B. D. Esser; N. Antolin; A. Carlsson; R. E. A. Williams; A. Wessman; T. Hanlon; H. L. Fraser; W. Windl; D. W. McComb; M. J. Mills

doi:10.1038/ncomms13434

journal article Open Access Nov 22, 2016

Phase transformation strengthening of high-temperature superalloys

T. M. Smith B. D. Esser N. Antolin A. Carlsson R. E. A. Williams A. Wessman T. Hanlon H. L. Fraser W. Windl D. W. McComb M. J. Mills

Nature Communications Vol. 7 No. 1 · Springer Science and Business Media LLC

View at Publisher Save 10.1038/ncomms13434

Abstract

AbstractDecades of research has been focused on improving the high-temperature properties of nickel-based superalloys, an essential class of materials used in the hot section of jet turbine engines, allowing increased engine efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions. Here we introduce a new ‘phase-transformation strengthening’ mechanism that resists high-temperature creep deformation in nickel-based superalloys, where specific alloying elements inhibit the deleterious deformation mode of nanotwinning at temperatures above 700 °C. Ultra-high-resolution structure and composition analysis via scanning transmission electron microscopy, combined with density functional theory calculations, reveals that a superalloy with higher concentrations of the elements titanium, tantalum and niobium encourage a shear-induced solid-state transformation from the γ′ to η phase along stacking faults in γ′ precipitates, which would normally be the precursors of deformation twins. This nanoscale η phase creates a low-energy structure that inhibits thickening of stacking faults into twins, leading to significant improvement in creep properties.

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Details

Published: Nov 22, 2016
Vol/Issue: 7(1)
License: View

Authors

Center for Atomic-Scale Materials Physics, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark.; Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark.; Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark.; Haldor Topsøe A/S, Nymøllevej 55, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark.

Atmospheric Chemistry Observations and Modeling Laboratory National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder CO USA

Cite This Article

T. M. Smith, B. D. Esser, N. Antolin, et al. (2016). Phase transformation strengthening of high-temperature superalloys. Nature Communications, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13434

Phase transformation strengthening of high-temperature superalloys

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