High-Temperature Oxidation Behaviors and γ' Phase Stability of a New Fourth-Generation Single Crystal Superalloy with Rare Earth

doi:10.11900/0412.1961.2024.00243

Acta Metall Sin

2026, Vol. 62

Issue (2): 351-362 DOI: 10.11900/0412.1961.2024.00243

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High-Temperature Oxidation Behaviors and γ' Phase Stability of a New Fourth-Generation Single Crystal Superalloy with Rare Earth

GUO Shijia¹, LI Jianyue¹, YUAN Shengyun¹, LI Zhigang², YU Lianxu²^,³(

), ZHANG Yong¹(

)

1 Herbert Gleiter Institute of Nanoscience, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
2 Metalink Special Alloys Corporation, Nanjing 211135, China
3 Nanjing Guozhong New Metal Materials Institute Co. Ltd., Nanjing 211135, China

Cite this article:

GUO Shijia, LI Jianyue, YUAN Shengyun, LI Zhigang, YU Lianxu, ZHANG Yong. High-Temperature Oxidation Behaviors and γ' Phase Stability of a New Fourth-Generation Single Crystal Superalloy with Rare Earth. Acta Metall Sin, 2026, 62(2): 351-362.

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Abstract

To improve the oxidation resistance, which is compromised by high concentrations of W and Mo in control alloys, developing a new fourth-generation Ni-based single crystal superalloy is essential. In this study, we investigated the oxidation behavior and γ' phase degradation of a new fourth-generation single crystal superalloy containing rare earth (RE) elements at 1100 ^oC. After an initial 3 h of oxidation, a NiO layer and a discontinuous, needle-like Al₂O₃ layer rapidly formed on the sample surface, accompanied by the formation of a RE oxide film beneath the NiO layer. The RE oxide film effectively inhibited the internal diffusion of O element and its reaction with refractory metal elements, preventing the formation of spinel oxides and reducing the thickening rate of the spinel oxide layer. As a result, the discontinuous needle-like Al₂O₃ layer transforms into a partially continuous Al₂O₃ layer during the second stage (3-25 h) and delayed oxidation-induced mass loss in the third stage (25-60 h). After 100 h of oxidation, continuous Al₂O₃ and NiAl₂O₄ spinel layers were formed on the alloy surface, effectively hindering both the outward diffusion of alloy elements and the inward diffusion of O element. Moreover, the γ'-free layer exhibited a notable increase in thickness with the oxidation time. No topologically close-packed phase was detected in the γ'-free layer or in the interior of the sample, indicating the superior high-temperature stability of the alloy.

Key words: fourth-generation single crystal superalloy high-temperature oxidation oxidation kinetics oxide film spalling γ' phase degradation

Received: 19 July 2024

ZTFLH:

TG132.3

Fund: National Natural Science Foundation of China(51601091);Jiangsu Province Leading Edge Technology Basic Research Major Project(BK20222014);Key Research and Development Plan of Jiangsu Province(BE2020085)

Corresponding Authors: YU Lianxu, associate professor, Tel: 13840487653, E-mail: rd6@metalink.com.cn;
ZHANG Yong, professor, Tel: 15805197931, E-mail: yong@njust.edu.cn

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	GUO Shijia
	LI Jianyue
	YUAN Shengyun
	LI Zhigang
	YU Lianxu
	ZHANG Yong

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https://www.ams.org.cn/EN/10.11900/0412.1961.2024.00243 OR https://www.ams.org.cn/EN/Y2026/V62/I2/351

Fig.1 SEM image of γ/γ' microstructure after heat treatment (a) and γ' phase size statistics (b)

Fig.2 Curves of mass gain vs oxidation time (t) in the early 60 h (a) and in 200 h (b) at 1100 ^oC

Fig.3 XRD patterns of oxides formed after oxidation at 1100 ^oC for 3, 25, 60, 100, and 200 h

Fig.4 SEM images and corresponding EDS elemental maps of surface oxides formed on the alloy after oxidation at 1100 ^oC for 3 h (a), 25 h (b), 60 h (c), 100 h (d), and 200 h (e)

Table 1 EDS compositional analysis results of the points 1-6 in Fig.4

Fig.5 Cross-sectional SEM images and corresponding EDS elemental maps of oxide layer after oxidation at 1100 ^oC for 3 h (a), 25 h (b), 60 h (c), 100 h (d), and 200 h (e)

Table 2 EDS compositional analysis results of the points 1-8 in Fig.5

Fig.6 SEM images of overall morphologies near oxidation layer (a-e), 5-10 µm near the γ'-free zone (a1-e1), and 30-50 µm away from the γ'-free zone (a2-e2) after oxidizing at 1100 ^oC for 3 h (a, a1, a2), 25 h (b, b1, b2), 60 h (c, c1, c2), 100 h (d, d1, d2), and 200 h (e, e1, e2); and thicknesses of γ'-free zone vst (f)

Table 3 Comparisons of average oxidation rate constant (K') and oxidation resistance level between the experimental alloy and other alloys^[4,11,17,26] at 1100 ^oC

Fig.7 Kinetic curves after oxidizing at 1100 ^oC for 200 h (Δm—oxidation weight gain mass per unit area, n—oxidation reaction index, k—parabolic oxidation rate constant)
(a) logarithmic Δmvst (b) (Δm)²vst

Fig.8 Schematics of oxidation mechanisms of alloy at 1100 ^oC (REO—rare earth oxide)

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