Discussion of cyclic plasticity and viscoplasticity of single crystal nickel-based superalloy in large strain analysis: comparison of anisotropic macroscopic model and crystallographic model

The inelastic behavior of nickel-based superalloy is investigated in detail by application of a macroscopic anisotropic plasticity model developed here, and the results are compared to predictions based on crystal plasticity, which incorporates the kinematic hardening. Uniaxial deformation processes and simple shear deformations at large strain are considered. The plastic spin concept coupled with an anisotropic Chaboche model is provided in the framework of macroscopic viscoplasticity. The plastic spin formulation used here is based on the concept of the noncoaxiality between the stress and plastic rate of deformation. The present model succeeds in reproducing the inelastic behavior during large deformation. It is shown that the plastic spin associated with the anisotropic flow rule plays a key role in the macroscopic model. Simulation results find these two different scale models provide similar predictions under uniaxial deformation for [0 0 1] and [1 1 1] orientation, while their predictions for simple shear deformation at large strain exhibit quantitative difference, but their trends are the same. The interpretations for simulation results are pursued in detail.     

LCF behavior and life prediction method of a single crystal nickel-based superalloy at high temperature

Low cycle fatigue tests were conducted on the single crystal nickel-based superalloy, DD6, with different crystallographic orientations (i.e., [001], [011], and [111]) and strain dwell types (i.e., tensile, compressive, and balanced types) at a certain high temperature. Given the material anisotropy and mean stress, both orientation factor and stress range were introduced to the Smith, Watson, and Topper (SWT) stress model to predict the fatigue life. Experimental results indicated that the fatigue properties of DD6 depend on both crystallographic orientation and loading types. The fatigue life of the tensile, compressive, and balanced strain dwell tests are shorter than those of continuous cycling tests without strain dwell because of the important creep effect. The predicted results of the proposed modified SWT stress method agree well with the experimental data.     

Creep feed grinding induced gradient microstructures in the superficial layer of turbine blade root of single crystal nickel-based superalloy

The service performance of the turbine blade root of an aero-engine depends on the microstructures in its superficial layer. This work investigated the surface deformation structures of turbine blade root of single crystal nickel-based superalloy produced under different creep feed grinding conditions. Gradient microstructures in the superficial layer were clarified and composed of a severely deformed layer (DFL) with nano-sized grains (48–67 nm) at the topmost surface, a DFL with submicron-sized grains (66–158 nm) and micron-sized laminated structures at the subsurface, and a dislocation accumulated layer extending to the bulk material. The formation of such gradient microstructures was found to be related to the graded variations in the plastic strain and strain rate induced in the creep feed grinding process, which were as high as 6.67 and 8.17 × 107 s?1, respectively. In the current study, the evolution of surface gradient microstructures was essentially a transition process from a coarse single crystal to nano-sized grains and, simultaneously, from one orientation of a single crystal to random orientations of polycrystals, during which the dislocation slips dominated the creep feed grinding induced microstructure deformation of single crystal nickel-based superalloy.     

Extended algorithm for simulation of light transport in single crystal scintillation detectors for S(T)EM

The new extended Monte Carlo (MC) simulation method for photon transport in S(T)EM back scattered electron (BSE) scintillation detection systems of various shapes is presented in this paper. The method makes use of the random generation of photon emission from a scintillator luminescent centre and describes the trajectory of photons and the efficiency of their transport toward the photocathode of the photomultiplier tube. The paper explains a new algorithm for determining the position of interaction of the photon with the surface of the single crystal scintillator or of the light guide with nearly arbitrary shapes. Some examples of the utilization of the simulation method are also included, and conclusions for very simple edge-guided signal (EGS) scintillation detection systems made. The computer optimized design of the BSE scintillation detector for the S 4000 Hitachi SEM was chosen to demonstrate the capability of this MC simulation method.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of dislocation nucleation and motion at γ/γ′ interface in Ni-based superalloy

Molecular dynamics simulations are conducted on the dislocation behavior at the apices and edges of cuboidal Ni₃Al precipitate in a pure Ni matrix, or the idealized γ/γ′ microstructure in a Ni-based superalloy. A tensile simulation of the [001] direction is implemented with a periodic cell that has eight cubic precipitates in order to investigate the nucleation site of dislocation in the idealized microstructure with no defects other than the γ/γ′ interfaces. The effect of residual internal stresses on the stability of the interfaces is also discussed. Other simulations are conducted on the behavior of edge dislocations nucleated from a free surface and proceeding in the γ matrix toward γ′ precipitates under shear force. Dislocation pinning at γ′ precipitates, bowing-out in the γ channel, pile-up and nucleation of superdislocation in the γ′ precipitate are simulated and inspected in detail. Discussions on the size of the γ/γ′ microstructure and the sharpness of the edge of the γ′ precipitate are also presented.