In this study, precipitation of η phase (Ni3Ti) in conventional and Nb-modified (Nb-A286) A286 superalloys was evaluated at different aging times and temperatures. The TTP curve of the η phase formation was plotted using thermodynamic analyses, kinetics and microstructural studies. Depending on temperature and heat treatment, the η phase precipitated at the grain boundaries or twin sites, as a result of the γ′ phase or matrix austenite transformation. Heat treatment of conventional A286 superalloy and Nb-A286 was performed within a temperature range of 650 to 900 °C for 2 to 30 h. The η phase transformation was evaluated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) which is equipped to energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and optical microscopy (OM). In the analyses based on thermodynamic calculations, the interaction of the Gibbs free energy of η phase formation and the diffusion activation energy of the elements, especially titanium and niobium, was considered. The microstructural studies showed that increasing the heat treatment time results in increasing the volume fraction of the η phase. By increasing the aging temperature to 840 and 860 °C for conventional A286 superalloy and Nb-A286 superalloy, respectively, the η phase volume fraction increased, however, further increase led to volume fraction decrease. The results of the thermodynamic analyses showed the tip of the TTP diagrams at temperatures of 860 and 820 °C for the A286 and Nb-A286 alloys, respectively. Investigation of kinetics calculations showed that η phase transformation depends on the diffusion of titanium, nickel, and niobium.
In the present study, the microstructure and the mechanical properties of GTD-111 nickel-based superalloy were investigated. The alloy was in service as the GE-MS9001 gas turbine 1st stage rotating blade for 105,000 hours at a temperature between 950 to 1000 °C. Two sets of samples were extracted from the airfoil and the root of the blade. Then, they were compared for the microstructural and the mechanical properties changes after the high temperature service. Stress-rupture and Charpy V-notch (CVN) tests were conducted on the samples at 871 °C and two temperatures of 25 and 900 °C, respectively. The microstructure and the fracture surface of the samples were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results showed degradation in the microstructure and the mechanical properties of the airfoil compared to those of the root due to the long-term service at elevated temperatures. The loss in mechanical properties was due to the coarsening of γ’ precipitates and the formation of brittle phases in the grain boundaries.
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