Quantification of high temperature strength of nickel-based superalloys

The strength of nickel-based superalloys usually consists of solid solution strengthening from the gamma matrix and precipitation hardening due to the gamma' and/or gamma '' precipitates. In the present work, a model was developed to calculate the high temperature strength of nickel-based superalloys, where the temperature dependence of each strengthening contribution was accounted for separately. The high temperature strength of these alloys is not only a function of microstructural changes in the material, but the result of a competition between two deformation modes, i.e. the normal low to mid temperature tensile deformation and deformation via a creep mode. Extensive validation had been carried out during the model development. Good agreement between calculated and experimental results has been achieved for a wide range of nickel-based superalloys, including solid solution alloys and precipitation-hardened alloys with different type/amount of precipitates. This model has been applied to two newly developed superalloys and is proved to be able to make predictions to within useful accuracy.