September 16, 2021
Journal Article

Understanding the microstructural stability in a y’-strengthened Ni-Fe-Cr-Al-Ti alloy

Abstract

Ni-Fe-Cr-Al-Ti alloys, with Ni levels near 50 wt.%, have the potential to develop a microstructure consisting of a face-centered cubic ? matrix with the homogeneous precipitation of fine ordered ?’ precipitates similar to traditional Ni-based superalloys with significantly greater Ni content. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atom probe tomography (APT), and CALPHAD -based thermodynamic modeling were employed to understand the phase stabilities and microstructural evolution in an age-hardenable Ni-27Fe-18Cr-1Co-1.6Al-3.75Ti-1.2Mo-0.03C (wt%) alloy. The primary heat-treatment of solution annealing at 1121°C for 4h and age-hardening treatment at 760 °C for 16h resulted in a microstructure consisting of fine ?’ precipitates in an austenitic matrix along with grain boundary carbides, consistent with thermodynamic calculations. Long-term aging at 900 °C for 250h resulted in the coarsening of ?’ along with a change in the morphology of the precipitates from spherical to a more cuboidal shape. In addition, ? phase formation was observed concomitant with the partial dissolution of the ?’ phase. The ability of computational thermodynamic models to predict microstructural characteristics is discussed.

Published: September 16, 2021

Citation

Gwalani B., S. Shukla, D.N. Leonard, J. Poplawsky, D.T. Pierce, L. Kovarik, and G. Muralidharan, et al. 2021. "Understanding the microstructural stability in a y’-strengthened Ni-Fe-Cr-Al-Ti alloy." Materials Characterization 886. PNNL-SA-161547. doi:10.1016/j.jallcom.2021.161207