In Situ Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Study of Precipitation and Evolution Behavior of Secondary Phases in Ni-Based Superalloys

doi:10.11900/0412.1961.2024.00068

Acta Metall Sin

2024, Vol. 60

Issue (8): 1100-1108 DOI: 10.11900/0412.1961.2024.00068

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In Situ Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Study of Precipitation and Evolution Behavior of Secondary Phases in Ni-Based Superalloys

LI Yawei¹, XIE Guang¹(

), KE Yubin²^,³, LU Yuzhang¹, HUANG Yaqi¹, ZHANG Jian¹(

)

1 Shi-changxu Innovation Center for Advanced Materials, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
2 Spallation Neutron Source Science Center, Dongguan 523803, China
3 Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

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LI Yawei, XIE Guang, KE Yubin, LU Yuzhang, HUANG Yaqi, ZHANG Jian. In Situ Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Study of Precipitation and Evolution Behavior of Secondary Phases in Ni-Based Superalloys. Acta Metall Sin, 2024, 60(8): 1100-1108.

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Abstract

The γ′ and γ′′ phases are crucial strengthening components in Ni-based superalloys. Understanding their precipitation and evolution mechanism during heat treatment is essential for tailoring the mechanical properties of the superalloys. Herein, GH4169 superalloy was used to investigate the precipitation and evolution behaviors of secondary phases during in situ standard heat treatment by time-of-flight small-angle neutron scattering. Further, transmission electron microscopy was employed to observe the secondary phases generated in samples after ex situ heat treatment. Results showed that the secondary phases, including the spherical γ′ phase and coprecipitates (mainly the γ′′/γ′/γ′′ sandwich structure), mostly occurred during the aging treatment. After the formation of coprecipitates during the first aging treatment (AT1), their quantity apparently remained stable during the second aging treatment (AT2). Furthermore, the average size of the γ′ phase and coprecipitates gradually increased during the AT1 stage while remaining almost constant during the AT2 stage. Throughout the aging process, the interface between spherical γ′ phase and γ matrix exhibited a decreased composition fluctuation, while the interface fluctuation of coprecipitates was always significant. Thus, it can be inferred that the precipitation and evolution behaviors of secondary phases are controlled by the element diffusion at the interface.

Key words: GH4169 heat treatment small-angle neutron scattering second phase precipitation and evolution behavior

Received: 05 March 2024

ZTFLH:

TG132.3

Fund: National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFA1600603);National Natural Science Foundation of China(52271042);National Natural Science Foundation of China(51911530154);National Natural Science Foundation of China(91860201);National Natural Science Foundation of China(U2141206);National Science and Technology Major Project(J2019-VI-0010-0124);CSNS Consortium on High-performance Materials of Chinese Academy of Sciences(JZHKYPT-2021-01);Science Center for Gas Turbine Project(P2022-C-IV-001-001)

Corresponding Authors: XIE Guang, professor, Tel: (024)23971712, E-mail: gxie@imr.ac.cnZHANG Jian, professor, Tel: (024)23911196, E-mail: jianzhang@imr.ac.cn

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	LI Yawei
	XIE Guang
	KE Yubin
	LU Yuzhang
	HUANG Yaqi
	ZHANG Jian

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https://www.ams.org.cn/EN/10.11900/0412.1961.2024.00068 OR https://www.ams.org.cn/EN/Y2024/V60/I8/1100

Fig.1 In-situ heat treatment regime of GH4169 superalloy

Fig.2 Two-dimensional small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) patterns obtained during ST for 1 h (a), AT1 for 7 h (b), and AT2 for 7 h (c) (Q_x —scattering vector along the x-axis, Q_y —scattering vector along the y-axis, I—intensity)

Fig.3 One-dimensional SANS curves during ST (a), AT1 (b), and AT2 (c) for different time (Q—scattering vector mudulus, n₁—Porod factor for low Q, n₂—Porod factor for high Q)

Fig.4 Change of Porod factors during in situ aging treatment

Fig.5 Radius (R) evolution of disc-like second phases during in situ aging treatment

Fig.6 Size (r) distributions of sphere second phases during in situ AT1 (a) and AT2 (b)

Fig.7 Median radius (r_med) evolution of sphere second phases during in situ aging treatment

Fig.8 TEM images (a, c, e) and SAED patterns (b, d, f) of second phases in samples after ex situ treatment
(a, b) ST state (c, d) ST + AT1 state (e, f) ST + AT1 + AT2 state

Fig.9 Schematic of disc-like sandwich structure for γ′′/γ′/γ′′ (R₁—long axial radius, R₂—short axial radius)

Table 1 Quantitative summary of second phases in samples after ex situ treatment

Fig.10 Schematic of precipitation and evolution process for second phases
(a) ST stage (b, c) AT1 stage (d, e) AT2 stage

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