Densifying and hardening of martensitic steel powders in HIP units providing high cooling rates

Hot isostatic pressing (HIP) units are worldwide used for the compaction of metal alloy powders. The cooling rate in a HIP unit is usually comparatively low. This lengthens cycle times and requires an additionally heat treatment for quenched and tempered steels. Novel cooling HIP concepts in HIP units feature high quenching rates. In this study, tool steels were investigated with respect to their time–temperature–transformation behaviour for different cooling parameters. The paper shows that encapsuled powdered tool steels can be compacted and hardened in the HIP unit. The examined steels exhibit a comparable or even a higher hardness and a finer microstructure. HIP units with high-quenching rates enable to compact and heat treat materials in one step.     

Microstructural changes during long time service exposure of udimet 500 and nimonic 115

The effects of long term service exposure on the microstructure of Udimet 500 and Nimonic 115 turbine engine components has been studied. Sigma (σ) phase was detected in both alloys, and its formation could be predicted using critical electron vacancy concentrations computed by the revised method of Barrows and Newkirk and the experimental γ phase composition, γ′ coarsening was quite pronounced in Nimonic 115 turbine blades and varied as a strong function of the temperature distribution along the blade airfoil, σ phase precipitation had no effect on γ′ coarsening rates.     

X80抗大变形管线钢的生产工艺与组织性能研究

设计了X80级抗大变形管线钢的合金成分,采用TMCP热轧及轧后两阶段控制冷却技术,完成了试验室制备并实现了工业试制。利用SEM、TEM和拉伸、冲击实验等分析方法研究了不同冷却条件对组织与性能的影响。研究结果表明,采用空冷+水冷两阶段冷却工艺后可得到铁素体+贝氏体双相组织的X80抗大变形管线钢,当加速冷却中终冷温度为450℃、冷却速度为20℃/s时,组织中铁素体与贝氏体相得到最佳配比,M/A相尺寸约为1μm,组织均匀性良好,试样得到最优的强度塑性匹配。     

Tensile properties and creep behavior of a new Ti-Al-Nb intermetallic alloy with an O+<Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis><Subscript>2</Subscript> microstructure

A new Ti-Al-Nb alloy with a composition of Ti-27.5Al-13Nb (at. pct) was proposed. The density of this alloy was 4.7 g/cm³, which is about 13 pct lower than that for O+B2 alloys. After hot processing, the alloy was heat treated under two conditions: directly aged at 850 °C (DA treatment), or cooled from above the β-transus temperature with a cooling rate of 3 °C/min and then aged at 850 °C (BCA treatment). Under the present heat-treatment conditions, the phase constitution was primarily O+α ₂. A very fine Widmanstätten microstructure was obtained after the DA treatment, while a microstructure with coarse O plates was obtained after the BCA treatment. The tensile properties were investigated at 20 °C to 950 °C, and the creep behavior was investigated at 650 °C to 750 °C/90 to 380 MPa. The elongation to fracture at room temperature for the DA-treated tensile specimen was as high as 2.6 pct, despite the high Al content in this alloy. In comparison with the O+B2 ternary alloys, this alloy showed higher specific proof stress at temperatures over 800 °C and higher creep strength. The stress exponent and the apparent activation energy for creep were calculated. The fracture mechanism was discussed.     

Heat treatment effects on creep and rupture behavior of annealed 2.25 Cr-1 Mo steel

The strength of 2 1/4 Cr-1 Mo steel depends on the microstructure, which, in turn, de-pends on the heat treatment. In the fully annealed and isothermally annealed conditions, the microstructure is primarily proeutectoid ferrite with varying amounts of bainite and pearlite. The relative amounts of the latter constituents depend on the cooling rates during the anneal. The creep and rupture properties were determined for steel plates (from a single heat) given three different annealing treatments: two were fully annealed, but cooled at different rates from the austenitizing temperature, and the third was iso-thermally annealed. Properties were determined at 454, 510, and 566°C. At 454 and 510°C, the cooling rate had a significant effect on the creep and rupture properties, with the ma-terial cooled fastest being the strongest. Although at 510°C strengths at short rupture times differed widely, the properties approached a common value at longer rupture times. The properties differed very little at 566°C, even for short rupture times. The effect of heat treatment was concluded to be the result of interaction solid solution hardening, a dislocation-drag process. This process gave rise to nonclassical creep curves (as op-posed to classical curves with single primary, secondary, and tertiary stages). By examining the creep-curve shape, it was possible to interpret the heat treatment effects on the creep-rupture properties.     

Effect of hot isostatic pressing on the structure and properties of cast polycrystalline gas-turbine blades made of nickel superalloys

A concept of a two-stage hot isostatic pressing (HIP) cycle is developed for castings made of nickel superalloys in order to minimize plastic deformation and the recrystallization ability of their structure. At the first stage of the cycle, diffusion pore dissolution is predominant due to the motion of vacancies toward grain boundaries in a polycrystal; at the second stage, retained coarse pores are filled during plastic deformation. The effect of uniform compression pressure during HIP and microstructure defects on the vacancy diffusion in nickel superalloys is estimated. A two-stage HIP regime is developed for processing of cast gas-turbine engine blades made of a ZhS6U alloy in order to substantially decrease the shrinkage porosity and to increase the high-temperature characteristics, including the creep and fatigue resistance.     

Microstructure Characterization and Mechanical Properties of FGH 95 Turbine Blade Retainers

FGH 95 is a powder metallurgy (P/M) processed superalloy,which was developed in the 1980s in China.One of the applications of FGH 95 was high pressure turbine blade retainers.The manufacturing processes used to produce FGH 95 blade retainers consisted of atomization by plasma rotating electrode process (PREP),hot isostatic pressing (HIP) at super-solvus temperature and a sub-solvus solution heat treatment.The material had an equiaxed grain structure (ASTM 6.5-7.5).The γ′ precipitates in as-HIP FGH 95 showed a tri-model distribution.Carbides in the alloy were MC type and precipitated at grain boundaries.The prior particle boundaries (PPB) in the material originated mainly from γ′ phase.Statistics of the mechanical properties data from batch production of the FGH 95 blade retainers were investigated.The as-HIP FGH 95 blade retainers showed high strength at room temperature and 650 ℃,excellent creep resistance and outstanding stress rupture strength at 650 ℃.     

Influence of microstructure on tensile and creep properties of a new castable TiAl-based alloy

Snecma Motors has been working on the development of γ-TiAl low-pressure turbine blades, including manufacturing optimization, castability evaluation of a selected alloy called G4, and heat-treatment optimization of mechanical and physical properties. The objective of this study was to evaluate microstructure variability regarding casting conditions and aluminum content. The response of cast microstructures to hot isostatic pressing (hipping) and subsequent heat treatments was determined and quantified using tensile and creep testing. Such investigations helped define an optimized heat treatment. Tensile and creep property assessment has shown a high-temperature potential for G4 alloy with respect to other γ alloys. The G4 alloy also appears to be more creep resistant than conventional nickel-based superalloys on a specific basis. The enhanced creep properties under the optimized low-temperature treatment are mainly attributed to solid solution strengthening with Re, W, and Si elements and precipitation hardening with primary β phase decorating the primary dendrites.     

Effect of Microstructure on Mechanical Properties of a Thin‐walled Cast Duplex Steel

The paper investigates the microstructure and the resulting mechanical properties of a duplex steel cast in sand dead‐moulds. The chemical composition and the cooling rate are the main parameters affecting the properties. The chemical composition influences the thermodynamics of the phase transformation, the cooling rate determines the kinetics of formation of the microstructure. The latter varies with changes in wall thickness (investigated from 2 to 7 mm) and the position of the material within the casting. Through heat treatment, the composition of the microstructural components can be changed selectively afterwards, thereby the properties are improved. The correlation between microstructure and mechanical properties is explained quantitatively. Additionally to the austenite‐ferrite ratio, the dispersion of microstructure has a large influence on the mechanical properties. Ranges of chemical composition and heat treatment parameters are identified where third phases, such as carbides and σ‐phase tend to occur. These influence the properties very sensitively even in small amounts. Finally, structural parameters are recognized that will lead to optimal combinations of properties. With an appropriate heat treatment technique, in particular the ductility properties are further increased.     

俄罗斯EP741NP粉末高温合金的研究

对EP741NP合金盘坯进行了化学成分和相分析、力学性能测试、组织和断口形貌观察,并做了热处理试验.研究结果表明,合理的化学成分和热处理工艺使直接热等静压成形的EP741NP合金粉末涡轮盘在高温下具有较好的综合力学性能.PPB(原始粉末颗粒边界)和夹杂物等缺陷对盘件的性能和使用寿命不利,必须予以消除.     

Tensile,creep, and low-cycle fatigue behavior of a cast γ-TiAl-based alloy for gas turbine applications

The influence of chemical composition on the microstructure of the γ-titanium aluminide alloy Ti-48Al-2W-0.5Si (at. pct) and the accompanying tensile, low-cycle fatigue, and creep properties has been evaluated. The study showed that small variations in chemical composition and casting procedures resulted in considerable variations in the microstructure, yielding vastly different mechanical properties. Low contents of aluminum and tungsten led to a coarse-grained lamellar (γ/α ₂) microstructure with high creep resistance. A composition close to the nominal one produced a duplex (γ+γ/α ₂) structure with favorable strength, ductility, and low-cycle fatigue properties. By controlling the solidification and cooling rates at casting, a pseudoduplex (PS-DP) microstructure with a unique combination of high strength and high fatigue and creep resistance can be obtained. These unique properties can be explained by the diffuse boundaries between the relatively small γ grains and the neighboring lamellar colonies, combined with semicoherent interfaces between the γ and α ₂ phases. At tensile and low-cycle fatigue loading, these boundaries act like high-angle boundaries, producing a virtually fine-grained material promoting strength, whereas at creep loading, grain-boundary sliding is hindered in the semicoherent interfaces leading to high creep resistance.     

The effect of solidification time and heat treatment on the fatigue properties of a cast 319 aluminum alloy

Solidification time and heat treatment are known to have a large effect on the microstructure of cast aluminum alloys. This study was conducted to quantify how the fatigue properties of a 319-type aluminum alloy are affected by solidification time and heat treatment. Both porosity-containing (non-hot isostatically pressed (HIP)) and porosity-free (HIP) samples in the T6 (“peak aged”) or T7 (“overaged”) heattreated conditions were tested. As the solidification time increased, the average initiating pore diameter increased and stress-controlled fatigue life decreased. Heat treatment was observed to have a large effect on fatigue properties of the HIP samples. However, in the non-HIP fatigue samples, heat treatment did not significantly change the fatigue life or fatigue strength of the cast 319-type alloy. The absence of an influence of heat treatment on fatigue response is attributed to the predominance of the microporosity in fatigue crack initiation in cast aluminum.     

Review of research developments of 12Cr1MoVG heat resistant steel in China

In this paper,we review the evolution of 12CrlMoV steel standards at home and abroad,analyze the effects of various elements and determine their optimal contents in steel.The influence of heat treatment and microstructure on the creep strength of 12Cr1MoV steel is investigated.Statistical results from conventional mechanical properties,ductile-brittle transition temperature,high temperature oxidation resistance,aging,instant high temperature properties,and creep are introduced.The results show that the chemical composition and heat treatment process of 12CrlMoVG steel identified in the GB 5310-2008 standard is appropriate,resulting in a steel with higher creep strength and good comprehensive properties.     

Microstructures and mechanical properties of hot isostatically pressed powder metallurgy Alloy APK-1

The influence of Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) and heat treatment parameters on the microstructure and mechanical properties of powder metallurgy alloy APK-1 (a low carbon modification of Astroloy) has been investigated. Poor mechanical properties result if carbide networks are present along the prior particle boundaries (PPBs). These networks which form during powder consolidation can be avoided by manipulating HIP parameters. Heat treatments which produce a large volume fraction of fine γ’ make this alloy susceptible to environment-assisted tensile embrittlement around 760 °C.     

The effect of protective coatings on the high temperature properties of a gamma prime-strengthened Ni-base superalloy

The present study examined the influence of chrome-aluminide coatings on the creep and stress rupture properties of a wrought Udimet-520 nickel-base superalloy used in gas turbine blade applications. Creep and stress rupture tests were conducted at 802 °C (1475 °F) on coated and uncoated wrought bars in the fully heat treated condition. The tests showed that the application of the chrome-aluminide coatings caused a marked deterioration in rupture strength and ductility. Masking procedures used to protect the turbine blade roots during coating of the Ni-base superalloy also affected the rupture strength or rupture ductility. The mechanical behavior in the coated creep resistant alloy was correlated with the microstructure and is discussed in terms of possible controlling processes.     

Effect of Heat Treatment on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of 2.25Cr–1Mo Steel

The effect of heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of a ferritic heat‐resistant steel, 2.25Cr–1Mo, was investigated. The characteristics of carbides, i.e., size, morphology, distribution, and composition, in different stages of heat treatment were examined by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX). As the heat treatment proceeded from normalizing and tempering (NT, the delivery state), simulated post‐welding heat treatment (PWHT), to step cooling (SC), the carbides evolved from M₃C, Mo₂C to M₇C₃, M₂₃C₆. The uniformly dispersed carbides, e.g., Mo₂C, M₇C₃, and M₂₃C₆, are responsible for the excellent mechanical properties and creep resistance of the steel. The result demonstrates that the coarsening of carbides deteriorates impact toughness and the morphology, crystal structure, and chemical composition of carbides are also important influencing factors.     

Mechanical alloying and field assisted hot pressing of nanocrystalline B2-NiAl intermetallic compound

Abstract

Ordered B2-NiAl intermetallic compound powder was successfully synthesised by mechanical alloying after 20 h in an attritor mill, starting from elemental Ni and Al powders and without subsequent heat treatment. NiAl powder obtained was homogenous and had a nanocrystalline microstructure. It was consolidated by field assisted hot pressing (FAHP), in a novel configuration with a Gleeble 3800 thermomechanical simulator. The powder was also processed by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) in order to compare both methods. The consolidation was successful by both methods obtaining above 98% of NiAl theoretical density (5·86 g cm^?3). The results showed that the consolidation process by FAHP technique is effective and uniform throughout the sample as indicated by homogenous hardness values, obtaining microstructure and properties similar to those obtained with HIP technique, with certain advantages over it. The achieved room temperature yield strength of 850 MPa and fracture strain 26–28% corresponds to the bulk values of NiAl intermetallic.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties relationships in the Ti-11 alloy at room and elevated temperatures

To establish correlations between microstructure and mechanical properties for the Ti-ll alloy, twelve different combinations of hot die forging and heat treatment, in the a + 8 and Β phase regions, were investigated. The resulting heat treated forgings were classified into four distinct categories based on their microstructural appearance. The room temperature tensile, post-creep tensile, fracture toughness and fatigue crack propagation properties were measured along with creep and low cycle fatigue at 566‡C. The creep, tensile, fatigue crack propagation and fracture toughness properties, grouped in a manner similar to the microstructural categories. The fracture appearance and behavior of the cracks during propagation in fatigue and in fracture toughness tests were examined, and correlations with the microstructure discussed. In the case of the fully transformed acicular microstructure, it was found that the size and the orientation of colonies of similarly aligned α needles are dominant factors in the crack behavior. Formerly a National Research Council Associate, Air Force Materials Laboratory Formerly with AFML     

热处理工艺对2Cr11Mo1VNbN耐热钢组织和性能的影响

 为了解决2Cr11Mo1VNbN钢短时持久性能低的问题,采用OM、SEM、TEM等手段研究了不同淬火和回火工艺下超超临界叶片用2Cr11Mo1VNbN马氏体耐热钢的组织、室温力学性能及短时持久性能。结果表明,随着淬火温度的提升,强度和硬度增加,冲击吸收功在1 075 ℃后呈降低趋势;1 125 ℃淬火+660 ℃回火后,该钢的649 ℃+228 MPa的短时持久性能明显提升。回火温度高于660 ℃,强度和硬度降低,冲击吸收功增加,短时持久性能急速衰减。微观组织分析表明,提高淬火温度,合金中的一次粗大铌的碳化物更多地固溶到基体中,析出数量减少,固溶强化作用增加,强度和硬度增加,使合金的弱化区减少,提高了材料抵抗高温变形的能力,改善了合金的持久性能。     

Microstructural study: an aid to determination of failure mechanism in nickel base superalloy blades

Cast nickel base superalloys are extensively used for high temperature gas turbine blade applications. The elevated temperature properties in these alloys are optimized through engineered microstructure, which is a combination of (a) γ-solid solution of Ni with elements such as W, Mo, Cr, Ta, Re etc, (b) γ′ precipitates, and (c) dispersed carbides. Over the years, the demand for high engine efficiency has resulted in the development of new generation superalloys with improved elevated temperature properties, especially creep resistance. These superalloys are highly alloyed with solid-solution strengthening elements and hence, impose greater technological challenges in fabrication. Due to high alloy contents, these alloys are prone to formation of detrimental phases such as the topologically close packed (TCP) phases. These phases may appear in the microstructure during the blade fabrication stages or precipitate out during exposure to high temperature and stress. In addition, the γ′ precipitates can change in morphology, shape and size during applications resulting in deterioration in high temperature mechanical properties, in general. These unfavorable microstructural changes often lead to premature failure in gas turbine engines. While analyzing these failures, the microstructural study provides important information in identifying whether the blades had faulty microstructure to start with or the abnormalities observed have resulted during exposure to service conditions. This in turn can be related to engine operating conditions. In the present paper, this has been demonstrated through analysis of two service failure cases wherein the high pressure turbine blades had failed in flight leading to aircraft accidents.