Proposal Review

Development of a Physically Based Creep Model Incorporating Eta Phase Evolution for
Nickel-Base Superalloys Used in Advanced Electric Power Generation Plants

Ninad Mohale
Index

Introduction
Project Objective
Background
Proposed Research
1. Introduction

A superalloy is essentially developed to obtain one or more or the following

characteristics: excellent mechanical strength, resistance to thermal creep deformation,
good surface stability, and resistance to corrosion or oxidation.

For our application we focus on Nickel based superalloys. Ni based superalloys can be
tailored by adding elements like chromium, iron, cobalt, molybdenum, tungsten,
tantalum, aluminum, titanium, zirconium, niobium, rhenium, yttrium, vanadium, carbon,
boron or hafnium. Each of these additions has been chosen to serve a particular
purpose in optimizing the properties for high temperature application.

Creep is the tendency of a solid material to move slowly or deform permanently under
the influence of mechanical stresses. A material which can slow down the speed of
dislocation within its crystal structure is said to have creep resistance. In Ni based
superalloys, the phase increases creep resistance in Ni due to its ordered nature and
high coherency with the matrix. Chemical addition of Al and Ti promote the creation of
this phase.

In its phase, Al atoms are placed at the vertices of Ni3Al cubic cell and form sub
lattice A. Atoms of Ni are located at centers of the faces and form sub lattice B. Where
there exists excess vacancies in either of the sub lattices, stoichiometry deviations
occur. Sub lattices A and B of the '-phase can solute a considerable proportion of other
elements. Dislocations dissociate in the '-phase, leading to the formation of an anti-
phase boundary. At elevated temperature, the free energy associated with the anti-
phase boundary (APB) is considerably reduced if it lies on a particular plane, which by
coincidence is not a permitted slip plane. One set of partial dislocations bounding the
APB cross-slips so that the APB lies on the low-energy plane, and, since this low-
energy plane is not a permitted slip plane, the dissociated dislocation is now effectively
locked. By this mechanism, the yield strength of '-phase Ni3Al actually increases with
temperature up to about 1000 C, giving superalloys their currently unrivaled high-
temperature strength.

Nickel-based superalloys are used in load-bearing structures to the highest homologous

temperature of any common alloy system (Tm = 0.9, or 90% of their melting point).
Among the most demanding applications for a structural material are those in the hot
sections of turbine engines. The preeminence of superalloys is reflected in the fact that
they currently comprise over 50% of the weight of advanced aircraft engines.

Fig 1: Variation of phase depending on chemical composition and temperature

Fig 2: Crystal Structure of phase

2. Project Objective

We use Nimonic 263 for turbine applications in fossil energy generation. They are
strengthened by phase, which increases its creep resistance. However, at extended
times at high operating temperatures, it is observed that phase is created at the
expanse of phase, and that it may have negative effects on creep resistance.
The aim is to compare Standard commercial Nimonic containing only ' phase,
Standard commercial Nimonic 263 that has been heat treated to contain both ' and
phases before creep testing, and an alloy of Nimonic 263 that contains only phase.

We aim to achieve greater understanding of effects of phase on creep deformation

and failure mechanisms.
3. Background

We have sizable historical data into our polycrystalline Nimonic 263 superalloy, from
which we know that for the most part, phase of Ni based alloys have shown a
tendency to reduce creep ductility, cavity nucleation and micro cracking and that its
presence near grain boundary reduces impact toughness.

This phase is a thermodynamically stable state which forms at a slow rate. It is seen
in the microstructure of Ni superalloys at high temperatures and extended service times.
Unfortunately, power plant operations are designed for longer times, and hence this
formation of phase is a cause of concern. It is seen to form at 725C and 20,000
hours.

Fig 3: Formation of phase in Nimonic, as a function of time and temperature

Also as we stated earlier, phase is formed at expense of ' strengthening phase and
might have negative affection on creep deformation and impact toughness. Its formation
typically occurs at grain boundaries and has been linked to reduction in creep ductility
via cavity nucleation and micro-cracking.

It was calculated that phase fraction is small enough for it to not affect creep behavior,
but a more experimental approach is needed to better quantify phase fractions as well
as potential reduction in creep ductility.

While studying the creep behavior of Ni based superalloys, it was observed that its
creep strength was strongly dependent on volume fraction of ' phase. It was shown
that for increase in ' volume fraction by 30%, creep rate decreased by four degrees of
magnitude. When subjected to high temperatures, ' precipitates can interact with
dislocations to limit dislocation by three mechanisms: sheering (deformation of a
material substance in which parallel internal surfaces slide past one another), looping
(Precipitates act as pinning points for dislocations and Bowing leads to unpinning
leaving behind dislocation loops around the particles) and climb-assisted bypass (when
the applied stress is not enough for a moving dislocation to overcome the obstacle on
its way via dislocation glide alone, the dislocation could climb to a parallel slip plane by
diffusional processes)

Whereas the effect of precipitation on Ni base superalloys are conflicting. Some

research indicates that specimen undergo embrittlement and low ductility in creep and
stress rupture tests, and some indicate that phase is either harmless or actually
beneficial to creep and creep rupture properties, some of which are discussed in the
proposal.
4. Proposed Research

MichiganTech developed techniques by studying similar materials and using an alloy

design strategy to attain Nimonic 263 with phase and essentially no ' volume
fraction. Once experiments are done to establish effects of phase on creep
performance, modifications will be proposed to the existing physically based creep
models. The V1-Ta1 alloy will be compared with ' Nimonic and + Nimonic (prior to
creep testing). Testing has already begun and we have the following creep data.

For these tested alloys, there is a need to characterize deformation and failure
mechanisms. The difference between this research and previous research is that
previously, phase has always developed during testing of ' phase. We aim to avoid
generating phase to provide a more realistic comparison of creep performance of our
specimen.

The ultimate aim is to develop a better understanding of phase on creep performance

so as to help design better turbine blades for electric power generation plants.
5. References

Walter Milligan, Paul Sanders, Calvin White,John Shingledecker. Development of a

Physically Based Creep Model Incorporating Eta Phase Evolution for Nickel-
Base Superalloys Used in Advanced Electric Power Generation Plants
Asgari, S., Sharghi-Moshtaghin, R., SadeghAhmadi, M. and Pirouz, P., On phase
transformations in a Ni-based superalloy, Phil. Mag., 2013, vol. 93, pp.
1351-1370
Zhao, J. C., Ravikumar, V., & Beltran, A. M. (2001). Phase precipitation and phase
stability in Nimonic
263. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A,32(6), 1271-1282.
Zhao, J. C., & Henry, M. F. (2002). The thermodynamic prediction of phase stability in
multicomponent superalloys. JOM, 54(1), 37-41.
Zhao, S., Xie, X., Smith, G. D., & Patel, S. J. (2003). Microstructural stability and
mechanical properties of a new nickel-based superalloy. Materials Science and
Engineering: A, 355(1), 96-105. Zhao, S., Xie, X., Smith, G. D., & Patel, S. J.
(2006). Research and improvement on structure stability and corrosion
resistance of nickel-base superalloy INCONEL alloy 740. Materials & design,
27(10), 1120-1127
Wong, M. J., Sanders, P. G., Shingledecker, J. P., & White, C. L. (2015). Design of an
Eta-Phase Precipitation-Hardenable Nickel-Based Alloy with the Potential for
Improved Creep Strength Above 1023 K (750 C). Metallurgical and Materials
Transactions A, 46(7), 2947-2955.
Shingledecker, J. P., & Pharr, G. M. (2012). The role of eta phase formation on the
creep strength and ductility of INCONEL alloy 740 at 1023 K (750 C).
Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, vol. 43A, 1902-1910.
Website: https://www.phase-trans.msm.cam.ac.uk/2003/Superalloys/superalloys.html,
University of Cambridge, H. K. D. H. Bhadeshia