High-temperature performance evaluation of adirectionally solidified nickel-base superalloy

The application of a new approach, design for performance, for high-temperature alloy development, design analysis, and remaining life assessment, based on short-time high-precision testing, is described in this paper. The material tested was a directionally solidified nickel-base alloy, GTD111. It was found that the creep strength at 850 °C was indeed superior to that of a competitive alloy, IN738, but was not necessarily enhanced by the preferred alignment of grain boundaries and crystal orientation. In contrast, the fracture resistance at 800 °C was improved in the longitudinal direction compared with transverse and diagonal orientations in terms of susceptibility to gas phase embrittlement (GPE) by oxygen. Specimens cut transversely and diagonally to the growth direction were more sensitive to GPE than specimens taken from conventionally cast IN738. The new conceptual framework allows account to be taken of GPE and other embrittling phenomena, which may develop in service, leading to rational life management decisions for gas turbine users. Additionally, straightforward design analysis procedures can be developed from the test data, which for the first time allow separate measurements of creep strength and fracture resistance to be used for performance evaluation.