Carbon Content and Properties of a Novel Carbide-Strengthened Ni-Based Superalloy
摘要
This research investigates the relationship between carbon content, microstructure and properties of the xC-20Cr-6Mo-6W-Ni(bal.) (wt.%) systems. The microstructural evolution and mechanical behavior are explored using isothermal compression tests, high-temperature tensile tests, and multiple microstructure characterization methods. Carbon addition promotes carbide precipitation, and micron- and nano-scale carbides appear after heat treatments. In hot deformation, the primary dynamic recrystallization (DRX) mechanism is particle-induced DRX (PIDRX) through particle-stimulated nucleation (PSN, on the micron-scale carbide interface), as well as an auxiliary discontinuous DRX (DDRX) mechanism. The dynamic recovery (DRV) also appears at 1100℃. The good deformability comes from the DRV and DRX. The micron-scale carbides also impede thermally activated grain boundary migration via Zener Pinning effects, which depend on carbide morphology. Both the micron- and nano-scale carbides promote the secondary phase strengthening effect by the Orowan mechanism. With high carbon, alloy prefers precipitate in large-sized carbides rather than a dispersed, nanoscale distribution, reducing mechanical properties. The carbon content should be controlled at a reasonable level (0.8 wt.%), with a wide 1100–1200℃ hot working window after homogenization and good mechanical properties after aging, including yield strength (YS), ultimate tensile strength (UTS), and elongation at 229.58 MPa, 375.29 MPa, and 37.0%, respectively.