Evaluation of the crystallinity and the Strength of Grain Boundaries in Ni-Base Superalloy under Creep-Fatigue Loadings at Elevated Temperatures

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 (0) ◽  
pp. PS11
Author(s):  
Wataru SUZUKI ◽  
Ken SUZUKI ◽  
Hideo MIURA
Keyword(s):  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Creep Fatigue ◽  
Base Superalloy

Grain Boundary Cracking of Nickel-Based Alloy 625 Under Creep Loadings at Elevated Temperatures

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Liang ◽  
Yifan Luo ◽  
Ken Suzuki ◽  
Hideo Miura
Keyword(s):  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Thermal Power Plants ◽  
Alloy 625 ◽  
Creep Fatigue ◽  
Creep Loading ◽  
Initial Cracks

Abstract Since the operating condition of thermal power plants has become harsher for minimizing the emission of CO2, Ni-based superalloys, such as Alloy 617 and 625, have been used in the plants to replace the conventional ferritic materials. Unfortunately, the increase of coefficient of thermal expansion compared with conventional steels is a concern. In addition, Ni-based superalloys have to suffer creep-fatigue random loading because thermal power plants have to compensate the random output of various renewable energies. It was found that the lifetime of Ni-based superalloys under creep-fatigue loading was much shorter than that under simple fatigue or creep loading. Thus, it has become very important to clarify the crack mechanism and establish the quantitative theory for estimating their lifetime under various loading conditions at elevated temperatures. Thus, the elucidation of the initial damage mechanism of Alloy 625 under various loading is indispensable. Hence, the initial cracking mechanism of Alloy 625 at grain boundaries under creep loading was investigated experimentally. The creep test was applied to small specimens in Argon atmosphere. The change of the micro texture during the creep test was observed by using SEM. It was confirmed that all the initial cracks appeared at certain grain boundaries. The change of the crystallinity was observed by EBSD (Electron Back-Scatter Diffraction) analysis quantitatively. It was found that the local accumulation of dislocations at the cracked grain boundaries caused the initial cracks at those grain boundaries. The initiation of cracks appeared clearly between two grains which had difference of KAM (Kernel Average Misorientation) values larger than 0.2. Therefore, dislocations were accumulated at one side of the grain boundary. By measuring the KAM values near grain boundaries, the appearance of initial cracks can be predicted approximately.

Degradation of the Strength of a Grain Boundary of Ni-Base Superalloys Under Creep-Fatigue Loading at Elevated Temperature

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yukako Takahashi ◽  
Yifan Luo ◽  
Kenta Ishihara ◽  
Shujiro Suzuki ◽  
Hideo Miura
Keyword(s):  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Tensile Test ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Base Alloy ◽  
Tensile Load ◽  
Test System ◽  
Uniaxial Tensile ◽  
Total Density ◽  
Creep Fatigue

Abstract The degradation of the strength of a grain boundary was measured by using a micro tensile test in a scanning electron microscope. The change of the crystallinity of grain boundaries during creep-fatigue tests of Ni-base alloy such as Alloy 617 and 625 at elevated temperatures was monitored by electron back-scatter diffraction analysis. The image quality (IQ) value obtained from the analysis, which indicates the total density of defects, was applied to the quantitative evaluation of the crystallinity. It was clearly observed that the accumulation of defects occurred at grain boundaries which were perpendicular to the loading direction and consisted of grains with large difference of Schmid factor. Bicrystal specimens with different crystallinity were cut from the tested samples and the strength of the bicrystal specimens were measured by using the micro tensile test system. It was confirmed that the strength of a grain boundary decreased monotonically by about 50% with the decrease of IQ value, in other words, the increase in the total density of various defects such as vacancies and dislocations. On the other hand, the effective yielding stress of grains increased monotonically with the decrease of the IQ value. This is because the increase in the total density of these defects suppresses the movement of dislocations, in other words, plastic deformation. Therefore, there were three independent strengths, the strength of two grains and that of a grain boundary which consisted of the bicrystal specimen. Since the strength of grains increased, at the same time, that of a grain boundary decreased monotonically with the decrease of the IQ value, it was confirmed that there was critical IQ value at which the fracture mode of a bicrystal specimen changed from conventional transgranular cracking to intergranular cracking under the application of uniaxial tensile load.

Shale gas leakage in lower Ecca shales during contact metamorphism by dolerite sill intrusions in the Karoo Basin, South Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Nengovhela ◽  
B. Linol ◽  
L. Bezuidenhout ◽  
T. Dhansay ◽  
T Muedi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Shale Gas ◽  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Contact Metamorphism ◽  
Microscopy Imaging ◽  
Gas Leakage ◽  
Karoo Basin ◽  
Maximum Temperatures ◽  
Host Rocks

Abstract Contact metamorphism along widespread dolerite sills and dykes, emplaced at 182 to 183 Ma through the sedimentary host rocks of the Karoo Basin, triggered devolatilization of carbon-rich shales of the Lower Ecca Group. Hornfel samples collected from drill cores that intersect dolerite sills were analyzed for mineral phase equilibria, chemistry and porosity to characterize thermal aureoles at various distances from sill intrusions. Andalusite-chiastolite and cordierite porphyroblasts with biotite and muscovite occur within 10 to 20 m of many intrusive contacts. These metamorphic minerals crystallized when host shales attained maximum temperatures ranging between 450 and 600°C. Scanning electron microscopy imaging confirms that the hornfels are compact and that their metamorphic minerals limit porosity along grain boundaries. In few cases intra-mineral porosity occurs within individual crystals such as calcite, andalusite and cordierite. Disequilibrium metamorphic textures such as irregular grain boundaries, and inclusions in andalusite and cordierite reveal that the elevated temperatures were too short-lived to accomplish complete (re)crystallization. Thermal modeling results are consistent with the observed metamorphic mineral assemblages. Gas leakage calculations along a 7 m and a 47 m thick dolerite sill that intrude toward the top of the Whitehill Formation suggest that methane volumes ranging between 8 to 15 Tcf were generated during the sill emplacement. Methane was likely released into the atmosphere through hydrothermal vent complexes that are well preserved in the western Karoo Basin. If such loss was widespread across the entire basin, the implications for paleo-climate change and preserved shale gas reserves in the Karoo Basin of South Africa would be significant.

Brittle-ductile transition of titanium aluminides, alloyed by β-phase stabilization elements

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (01) ◽  
pp. 86-97
Author(s):  
M. V. Remez ◽  
◽  
Yu. M. Podrezov ◽  
V. I. Danylenko ◽  
M. I. Danylenko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plastic Zone ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Titanium Aluminides ◽  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Rate Sensitivity ◽  
Relaxation Processes ◽  
Main Role ◽  
Β Phase ◽  
Brittle Ductile Transition ◽  
Phase Stabilization

The temperature, structural, and rate sensitivity of the plasticity characteristics in γ-tita¬nium aluminides with different Al contents, doped with β-phase stabilization elements, are studied. Particular attention is paid to dislocation mechanisms that control the brittle-plastic transition. The main role of grain boundaries in the formation of plasticity characteristics is demonstrated. At low temperatures, the grain boundaries stop propagation of brittle transgranular cracks and confine the development of the plastic zone beyond the boundaries of an individual grain, creating the prerequisites for fracture in the microdeformation level. At elevated temperatures, the boundaries contribute to the formation of dislocations pile-up in the plastic zone with a stress concentration required to set off the Frank-Reed sources and the displacement of the plastic zone beyond the boundaries of an individual grain, changing its configuration and stress distribution and inhibiting the propagation of cracks. Acceleration of rela¬xation processes in the vicinity of the crack’s tip creates the prerequisites for the development of macrodeformation. Local relaxation processes at the crack’s tip contribute to high speed sensitivity of the plasticity characteristics. This effect has important practical consequences, since there is a temperature region near the upper working temperature of γ-TiAl alloys, where the stress value remains high (yield strength σ02 ~700 MPa and ultimate stress σul ~ 1200 MPa at bending tests) regardless of the strain rate, while deformation sharply increases at low speeds. As a result, it is possible to achieve a combination of high strength and ductility during creep tests. In samples tested by tension with low speed (10-5 s-1) the neck formation take a place. Deformation occurs by the dislocation-twinning mechanisms. At small deformations (7%) a twinning mechanism is preferable. Concentration of dislocations sharply increases at large deformations (32%) with formation of dislocation clusters. Stress relaxation on the boundary between γ-phase twins and α2-lamella, occurs by macroscopic shift on α2-lamella. Keywords: γ-titanium-aluminides, structure, strength, plasticity, brittle-ductile transition, temperature and rate sensitivity.

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