Temperature dependence of tensile deformation mechanisms in a powder metallurgy Ni-Co-Cr based superalloy with Ta addition

To further develop Ni-based powder metallurgy (PM) superalloys for aero-engines, it is critical to understand their deformation mechanisms at various service temperatures. For turbine disks, the tensile strength and absorbed impact energy are critical parameters. The varying stress during tensile deformation makes it essentially different from creep. In this study, a high-performance PM superalloy with various Ta contents was evaluated by tensile tests at different temperatures from room temperature to 815 degrees C. The relationship between the temperature and plastic deformation mechanisms was explored at multiple scales using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, and the temperature dependence of the deformation mechanism map was established. The results demonstrated that the main deformation mechanism gradually changed from antiphase boundary shearing to superlattice stacking fault shearing as the temperature increases. The extended stacking faults (ESFs) were the source of the microtwins, which extended within the individual grains and thickened with increasing temperature. In addition, a novel mechanism of ESF formation was observed, i.e., Shockley shearing separated by one layer of atoms. Furthermore, the effects of Ta on the tensile strength and plasticity in PM superalloys were discussed.