The influence of temperature and cyclic frequency on the fatigue fracture of cube oriented nickel-base superalloy single crystals

Carbon-free single crystals of Mar-M200 were tested in pulsating tension, stress-controlled fatigue at temperatures and frequencies ranging from 1033 to 1255°K and 0.033 to 1058 Hz, respectively. The axis of loading was parallel to [001], the natural growth direction for directionally-solidified nickel-base alloys. Except for the lowest frequency at the higher temperatures where creep damage was extensive, crack initiation occurred at subsurface microporosity. Cracks initiated and propagated in the Stage I mode (crystallographic cracking on the {111} slip planes) at the lower temperatures and higher frequencies, whereas Stage (perpendicular to the principal stress axis) crack initiation and propagation was found at the higher temperatures and lower frequencies. Often a transition from Stage II to Stage I crack propagation was observed. It was established that Stage I cracking occurred under conditions of heterogeneous, planar slip and Stage II cracking under conditions of homogeneous, wavy slip. A thermally activated recovery process with an activation energy of 368 KJ/mole (88 Kcal/mole) determined the instantaneous slip character,i.e., wavy or planar, at the crack tip. In addition, it was found that an optimum frequency existed for maximizing fatigue life. At frequencies below the optimum, creep damage was detrimental, while at frequencies greater than the optimum, intense, planar slip was detrimental. The optimum frequency increased with increasing temperature.