Strengthening Precipitate Morphologies Fully Quantified in Advanced Disk Superalloys

Advanced aviation gas turbine engines will require disk superalloys that can operate at higher temperatures and stresses than current conditions. Such applications will be limited by the tensile, creep, and fatigue mechanical properties of these alloys. These mechanical properties vary with the size, shape, and quantity of the gamma precipitates that strengthen disk superalloys. It is therefore important to quantify these precipitate parameters and relate them to mechanical properties to improve disk superalloys. Favorable precipitate morphologies and practical processing approaches to achieve them can then be determined. A methodology has been developed at the NASA Lewis Research Center to allow the comprehensive quantification of the size, shape, and quantity of all types of gamma precipitates.