| Abstract: | AbstractTensile creep of a Fe–16 wt-%Al–0·5 wt-%C alloy was investigated over a temperature range of 773 to 873 K and stress range of 80 to 200 MPa. Creep curves exhibited very limited primary and secondary creep regimes. An extended tertiary creep regime was observed for all the test conditions. Stress dependence of minimum creep rate can be represented by a power-law equation with stress exponents being in the range 4 to 5. The activation energy for creep was found to be ～340 kJ mol?1. The observed stress exponent and activation energy for creep suggest that creep is controlled by dislocation climb. Creep fracture in Fe3Al–C alloy is predominantly by transgranular ductile mode by nucleation, growth and coalescence of microvoids formed at FeAlC0·5 particle/matrix interface by decohesion as well as fracture of elongated particles. Extended tertiary creep observed in the alloy was analysed in the light of the mechanisms proposed for nickel based superalloys. |
