The creep behavior of single crystals of the nickel-based superalloy CMSX-4 was investigated at 1288 °C, which is the temperature of the hot isostatic pressing treatment applied to this superalloy in the industry. It was found that at this super-solvus temperature, where no gammaPrime-strengthening occurs, the superalloy is very soft and rapidly deforms under stresses between 4 and 16 MPa. The creep resistance was found to be very anisotropic, e.g., the creep rate of [001] crystals was about 11 times higher than that of a [111] crystal. The specimens of different orientations also showed a very different necking behavior. The reduction of the cross-sectional area psi of [001] crystals reached nearly 100 pct, while for a [111] crystal psi = 62 pct. The EBSD analysis of deformed specimens showed that despite such a large local strain the [001] crystals did not recrystallize, while a less deformed [111] crystal totally recrystallized within the necking zone. The recrystallization degree was found to be correlated with deformation behavior as well as with dwell time at high temperature. From the analysis of the obtained results (creep anisotropy, stress dependence of the creep rate, traces of shear deformation, and TEM observations), it was concluded that the main strain contribution resulted from <01-1>{111} octahedral slip.
Rafting during high temperature deformation in a single crystal superalloy: experiments and modeling
(2012)
Experimental characterization and mechanical modeling of creep induced rafting in superalloys
(2012)
A constitutive model has been developed for the high temperature mechanical behavior of single crystal superalloys, including rafting and its consequences. The flow stress depends on the γ channel width via the Orowan stress. An evolution equation for channel widening during high temperature straining has been derived and calibrated with measurements. Therein, rafting is assumed to be driven by the relaxation of internal stresses. The model is able to represent the mechanical softening at high stresses consecutive to rafting. The model has been applied to simulate rafting during uniaxial creep in several crystal orientations, in notched specimens as well as in cyclically loaded specimens.
Constitutive modelling of creep degradation due to rafting in single-crystalline Ni-base superalloys
(2009)
A constitutive model for the mechanical behaviour of single-crystalline superalloys at high temperatures has been developed. The model relies on the slip system theory and is able to predict rafting and its influence on plastic flow. The kinetics of rafting are assumed to be driven by the reduction of the internal stresses represented by the macroscopic back-stress. The rafting effect is incorporated in the model through the dependence of the Orowan stress on the channel width. The model has been validated for the alloy CMSX-4 at 950 °C. The rafting part of the model has been calibrated by measurements of the channel widths after several levels of creep strains and for several loads.
Single-crystal components made of nickel base superalloys contain pores after casting and homogenization heat treatment. Hot isostatic pressing (HIP), which is carried above the γ' -solvus temperature of the alloy, is industrially applied to reduce porosity. A modeling of HIP based on continuously distributed dislocations is developed in a 2D setting. Glide and climb of straight-edge dislocations, as well as vacancy diffusion, are the deformation mechanisms taken into account.
Thereby, dislocation glide is controlled by dragging a cloud of large atoms, and climb is controlled by vacancy diffusion. Relying on previous investigations of the creep behavior at HIP temperatures, it is assumed that new dislocations are nucleated at low-angle boundaries (LAB) and move through subgrains until they either reach the opposite LABs or react with other dislocations and annihilate.
Vacancies are created at the pore surface and diffuse through the alloy until they are either consumed by climbing dislocations or disappear at the LABs. The field equations are solved by finite elements. It is shown that pore shrinking is mostly controlled by vacancy diffusion as the shear stresses at the LABs are too low to
nucleate a sufficient amount of dislocations.
It is shown experimentally that, during annealing and creep under low applied stresses, matrix dislocation loops frequently cross-glide. The periodic length of the zigzag dislocations deposited in the interfaces is equal to that of the γ/γ'-microstructure. Initially, the zigzag dislocations move in the (001) interface by a combination of glide and climb but then they stop near the γ'-edges and align along (100). Reactions of such dislocations lead to the formation of square interfacial networks consisting of (100) oriented edge dislocations. The complex dislocation movement is explained by the inhomogeneity of the misfit stresses between γ- and γ'-lattices. The tensile components of the stress tensor drive the dislocations through the channel, whereas the shear components near the γ'-edges cause the zigzag movement and the (100) alignment. The total effect is the most efficient relaxation of the misfit stresses. The results are relevant, especially for single-crystal superalloys of the newest generations, which have an increased γ/γ'-misfit due to the high level of refractory elements.