Preparation of eutectic superalloys by EFG

An attempt was made to produce airfoil shaped bars of three different eutectic superalloys by means of the edge-defined, film-fed growth (EFG) method. The alloys used were a gamma + delta Ni-Cb alloy, a gamma/gamma prime + delta Ni-Cb-Al alloy and a Co-TaC alloy containing Ni and Cr. The development of a new die material was essential in the investigation since these alloys are reactive toward known die materials. Tantalum carbide was selected as a die material because it exhibited spontaneous capillary rise and slow rate of degradation in the liquid metals. Eutectic bars up to 1 mm thick and 6 mm wide were grown from TaC dies in order to determine the growth characteristics and the thermal gradient. Large bars of the gamma/gamma prime + delta alloy were grown and tensile tested. A die with a blind central cavity was designed and several hollow, tear-shaped bars were grown.