Environmentally-assisted grain boundary attack as a mechanism of embrittlement in a nickel-based superalloy
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Authors
Colleges, School and Institutes
External organisations
- OXFORD UNIVERSITY
Abstract
The loss of ductility in the high strength polycrystalline superalloy 720Li is studied in air between room temperature and 1000 °C. Tensile ductility is influenced profoundly by the environment, leading to a pronounced minimum at 750 °C. A relationship between tensile ductility and oxidation kinetics is identified. The physical factors responsible for the ductility dip are established using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry and the analysis of electron backscatter diffraction patterns. Embrittlement results from internal intergranular oxidation along the γ-grain boundaries, and in particular, at incoherent interfaces of the primary γ′ precipitates with the matrix phase. These fail under local microstresses arising from the accumulation of dislocations during slip-assisted grain boundary sliding. Above 850 °C, ductility is restored because the accumulation of dislocations at grain boundaries is no longer prevalent.
Details
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 361-371 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Acta Materialia |
Volume | 126 |
Publication status | Published - 1 Mar 2017 |
Keywords
- Ductility minima, Environmentally-assisted cracking, Ni-based superalloy, Oxidation