Creep deformation mechanism mapping in nickel base disk superalloys

The creep deformation mechanisms at intermediate temperature in ME3, a modern Ni-based disk superalloy, were investigated using diffraction contrast imaging. Both conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning TEM were utilised. Distinctly different deformation mechanisms become operative during creep at temperatures between 677–815 °C and at stresses ranging from 274 to 724 MPa. Both polycrystalline and single-crystal creep tests were conducted. The single-crystal tests provide new insight into grain orientation effects on creep response and deformation mechanisms. Creep at lower temperatures (≤760°C) resulted in the thermally activated shearing modes such as microtwinning, stacking fault ribbons and isolated superlattice extrinsic stacking faults. In contrast, these faulting modes occurred much less frequently during creep at 815°C under lower applied stresses. Instead, the principal deformation mode was dislocation climb bypass. In addition to the difference in creep behaviour and creep deformation mechanisms as a function of stress and temperature, it was also observed that microstructural evolution occurs during creep at 760°C and above, where the secondary γ′ coarsened and the tertiary γ′ precipitates dissolved. Based on this work, a creep deformation mechanism map is proposed, emphasising the influence of stress and temperature on the underlying creep mechanisms.