Search Results (3)

Astroloy is a Ni-based superalloy with high-volume fraction of γ′, which gives high temperature properties but reduces its forgeability. Therefore, powder metallurgy manufacturing processes such as Near Net Shape HIPping are the most suitable manufacturing technology for Astroloy. However, NNSHIP has its own drawbacks, such as the formation of prior particle boundaries (PPBs), which usually tend to decrease material mechanical properties. The detrimental effect of PPBs can be reduced by optimizing the entire HIP processing route. Conventional HIP cycles have very low cooling rates, especially in big components from industry, and thus a series of post-heat treatments must be applied in order to achieve desirable microstructures and improve the mechanical properties. Standard heat treatments for Astroloy are long and tedious with several steps of solutioning, stabilization and precipitation. In this work, two main studies have been performed. First, the effect of the cooling rate after the solutioning treatment, which is driven by the materials’ thermal mass, on the Astroloy microstructure and mechanical properties was studied. Experimental analyses and simulation techniques have been used in the present work and it has been found that higher cooling rates after solutioning increase the density of tertiary γ′ precipitates by 85%, and their size decreases by 22%, which leads to an increase in hardness from 356 to 372 HB30. This hardness difference tends to reduce after subsequent standard heat treatment (HT) that homogenizes the microstructure. The second study shows the effect of different heat treatments on the microstructure and hardness of samples with two different thermal masses (can and cube). More than double the density of γ′ precipitates was found in small cubes in comparison with cans with a higher thermal mass. Therefore, the hardness in cubes is between 4 and 20 HB 30 higher than in large cans, depending on the applied HT. Full article

The effect of aging treatment on Astroloy fabricated via hot isostatic pressing and subjected to super-, and sub- solvus solutioning has been investigated. The evolution of hardness and microstructural features were followed after each step of the treatment. Since this alloy is commonly subjected to a double aging treatment at two different temperatures, particular attention was given to the effectiveness of the first aging treatment compared to the second one. Coarsening and modification of the γ′ reinforcing system together with carbides formation were made the object of research. The cooling rate used after solutioning treatment was also kept into account. Finally, a model to describe secondary and ternary gamma prime coarsening upon aging treatments is presented. Full article