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The challenges faced in today’s industry require materials capable of working in chemically aggressive environments at elevated temperature, which has fueled the development of oxidation resistant materials. All-Oxide Ceramic Matrix Composites (OCMC) are a promising material family due to their inherent chemical stability, moderate mechanical properties, and low weight. However, limited information exists regarding their behavior when in contact with other high-temperature materials such as superalloys. In this work three sets of tribological tests were performed: two at room temperature and one at elevated temperature (650 °C). The tests were performed in a pin-on-disk configuration testing Inconel 718 (IN-718) pins against disks made with an aluminosilicate geopolymeric matrix composite reinforced with alumina fibers (N610/GP). Two different loads were tested (85 and 425 kPa) to characterize the damage on both materials. Results showed that the pins experienced ~ 100 % wear increase when high temperature was involved, while their microstructure was not noticeably affected near the contact surface. After high temperature testing the OCMC exhibited mass losses two orders of magnitude higher than the pins and a sintering effect under its wear track, that led to brittle behavior. The debris generated consists of alumina and suggests a possible crystallization of the originally amorphous matrix which may destabilize the system. The data suggests that while the composite’s matrix is stable, wear will not develop uncontrollably. However, as soon as a critical load/temperature combination is attained the matrix is the first component to fail exposing the reinforcement to damage which drastically deteriorates the integrity of the component.

This thesis is on fatigue crack growth experiments and assessments of fatigue crack growth rates. Both constant and variable amplitude loads in two different materials are considered; a nickel based super-alloy Inconel 718 and a stainless steel 316L. The considered load levels extend from small scale yielding (SSY) to large scale yielding (LSY) for both materials. The effect of different load schemes on the fatigue crack growth rates is investigated on Inconel 718 and compact tension specimens in Paper A. It is concluded that load decreasing schemes give a to high Paris law exponent compared to constant or increasing load amplitude schemes. Inconel 718 is further analyzed in Paper B where growth rates at variable amplitude loading in notched tensile specimens are assessed. The predictions are based on the fatigue crack growth parameters obtained in Paper A. The crack closure levels are taken into consideration and it is concluded that linear elastic fracture mechanics is incapable of predicting the growth rates in notches that experience large plastic cyclic strains. Even if crack closure free fatigue parameters are used and residual stresses due to plasticity are included. It is also concluded that crack closure free and nominal fatigue crack growth data predict the growth rates equally well. However, if the crack closure free parameters are used, then it is possible to make a statement in advance on the prediction in relation to the experimental outcome. This is not possible with nominal fatigue crack growth parameters. The last three papers consider fatigue crack growth in stainless steel 316L. Here the load is defined as the crack tip opening displacement parameter. Paper C constitutes an investigation on the effect of plastic deformation on the potential drop and consequently the measured crack length. It is concluded that the nominal calibration equation obtained in the undeformed geometry can be used at large plastic deformations. However, two conditions must be met: the reference potential must be taken in the deformed geometry and the reference potential needs to be adjusted at every major change of plastic deformation. The potential drop technique is further used in Paper D and Paper E for crack length measurements at monotonic LSY. Constant amplitude loads are considered in Paper D and two different variable amplitude block loads are investigated in Paper E. The crack tip opening displacement is concluded in Paper D to be an objective parameter able to characterize the load state in two different geometries and at the present load levels. Furthermore, if the crack tip opening displacement is controlled in an experiment and the local load ratio set to zero, then only monotonic LSY will appear due to extensive isotropic hardening, i.e. elastic shake-down. This is also the reason why the linear elastic stress-intensity factor successfully could merge all growth rates, extending from SSY to monotonic LSY along a single line in a Paris law type of diagram, even though the generally accepted criteria for SSY is never fulfilled. For the variable amplitude loads investigated in Paper E, the effect of plastic deformation on measured potential drop is more pronounced. However, also here both the crack tip opening displacement parameter and the linear elastic stress-intensity factor successfully characterized the load state. / <p>QC 20130108</p>

The present dissertation reports the findings of a study of cracking behavior of a newly developed superalloy, Allvac 718Plus during high power beam welding and post-weld heat treatment. Microstructures of the base alloy, heat affected zone (HAZ) and fusion zone (FZ) of welded and post-weld heat treated (PWHT) coupons were examined by the use of standard metallographic techniques involving optical microscopy, analytical scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and analytical transmission electron microscopy. Moreover, grain boundary segregation behavior of boron atoms during pre-weld heat treatments was evaluated using secondary ion mass spectroscopic system. In the first phase of the research, 718Plus was welded using a low and high heat input CO2 laser to assess its weld cracking response. Detailed examination of the welds by analytical electron microscopic technique revealed the occurrence of cracking in the HAZ of low heat input welds, while their FZ was crack free. However, both the FZ and HAZ of high heat input welds were crack-free. Resolidified constituents were observed along the cracked grain boundaries of the lower heat input welds, which indicated that HAZ cracking in this newly developed superalloy was associated with grain boundary liquation. However, despite a more extensive liquation of grain boundaries and grain interior in the HAZ of high heat input welds, no cracking occurred. This was attributed to the combination of lower welding stresses generated during cooling, and relaxation of these stresses by thick intergranular liquid. Although HAZ cracking was prevented by welding with a high heat input laser, it resulted in a significant damage to the parent microstructure through its extensive liquation. Thus, the use of low heat input welding is desirable. However, this resulted in HAZ cracking which needs to be minimized or eliminated. Therefore, during the second phase of this research, the effects of pre-weld thermal processing on the cracking response of 718Plus were investigated. Results from the quantification of the cracking of the alloy showed that HAZ cracking may be significantly reduced or eliminated through an adequate selection of pre-weld thermal cycle. In the third stage of this research, crack-free welds of 718Plus were post-weld heat treated using standard thermal schedules. A significant solid state cracking of the alloy occurred during the PWHT. The cracking was attributed to the presence of embrittling phases on HAZ grain boundaries, coupled with aging contraction stresses that are generated by a considerable precipitation of gamma prime phase during aging.

The present dissertation reports the findings of a study of cracking behavior of a newly developed superalloy, Allvac 718Plus during high power beam welding and post-weld heat treatment. Microstructures of the base alloy, heat affected zone (HAZ) and fusion zone (FZ) of welded and post-weld heat treated (PWHT) coupons were examined by the use of standard metallographic techniques involving optical microscopy, analytical scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and analytical transmission electron microscopy. Moreover, grain boundary segregation behavior of boron atoms during pre-weld heat treatments was evaluated using secondary ion mass spectroscopic system. In the first phase of the research, 718Plus was welded using a low and high heat input CO2 laser to assess its weld cracking response. Detailed examination of the welds by analytical electron microscopic technique revealed the occurrence of cracking in the HAZ of low heat input welds, while their FZ was crack free. However, both the FZ and HAZ of high heat input welds were crack-free. Resolidified constituents were observed along the cracked grain boundaries of the lower heat input welds, which indicated that HAZ cracking in this newly developed superalloy was associated with grain boundary liquation. However, despite a more extensive liquation of grain boundaries and grain interior in the HAZ of high heat input welds, no cracking occurred. This was attributed to the combination of lower welding stresses generated during cooling, and relaxation of these stresses by thick intergranular liquid. Although HAZ cracking was prevented by welding with a high heat input laser, it resulted in a significant damage to the parent microstructure through its extensive liquation. Thus, the use of low heat input welding is desirable. However, this resulted in HAZ cracking which needs to be minimized or eliminated. Therefore, during the second phase of this research, the effects of pre-weld thermal processing on the cracking response of 718Plus were investigated. Results from the quantification of the cracking of the alloy showed that HAZ cracking may be significantly reduced or eliminated through an adequate selection of pre-weld thermal cycle. In the third stage of this research, crack-free welds of 718Plus were post-weld heat treated using standard thermal schedules. A significant solid state cracking of the alloy occurred during the PWHT. The cracking was attributed to the presence of embrittling phases on HAZ grain boundaries, coupled with aging contraction stresses that are generated by a considerable precipitation of gamma prime phase during aging.

High-performance materials such as stainless steels and nickel based super alloys are widely used in demanding applications where high mechanical and thermal properties are required. The applications of super alloys are mainly found in jet engines, power plants and gas turbines demanding high fatigue strength, corrosion and oxidation resistance as well as wear resistant properties. In order to use them, they go through various machining processes such as milling, turning, cutting, polishing etc. until the final product is achieved. Modern manufacturing industries employs various machining tools and technologies to improve the machining process of heat resistant super alloys. However, there are still challenges which needs to be addressed. Among them, adhesive wear of the machining tools is one of the main wear mechanism during the tribological interaction of tool and workpiece, preventing them to achieve the desired quality and surface finish of the end product. Moreover, it damages the tool reducing its lifecycle and in return, increasing the production cost. Among the cutting tools tungsten carbide (WC/Co) tools coated with TiAlN coating due to their good high temperature performance are extensively used. Nonetheless, these coatings still face issue like adhesive wear, abrasion, oxidation at higher temperature damaging the tools and subsequent machining. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the initiation mechanism of adhesive wear during the tribological interaction of super alloys and coated cutting tool material. In this research work, the tribological response of two coatings deposited by physical vapour deposition (PVD), having the composition Ti60Al40N and Ti40Al60N have been studied against two super alloys material, i.e. Inconel 718 and stainless steel 316L. A high temperature SRV (Schwingung (Oscillating), Reibung (Friction), Verschleiß (Wear)) reciprocation friction and wear test set up was employed to investigate the friction behaviour, wear rate and dominant wear mechanisms.  For Ti60Al40N coating, the experimental results revealed that generally, friction increases in case of sliding against Inconel 718 up to 400 °C and drops at 760 °C. A high wear volume at room temperature and a decrease to a minimum at 760 °C has been observed for Inconel 718. On the other side, Stainless steel 316L (SS 316L) faces a continuous rise in friction coefficient with highest value at 760 °C during sliding against Ti60Al40N coating. Wear is highest at 400 °C for SS 316L pin. The worn surfaces shows that both workpiece materials experience increase in material transfer due to adhesive wear with rise in temperature. At 400 °C, adhesion is the primary wear mechanism for both workpiece materials. A further rise in temperature to 760 °C promotes the adhesive wear through oxides formation on both material surfaces.  Similarly, Ti40Al60N coating shows the same friction behaviour with change in average steady state friction values for both material of Inconel 718 and SS 316L. Both workpiece materials responds in a similar way to wear volume loss, i.e. lowest at room temperature and highest at 760 °C. For Inconel 718, transfer of coating constituents on to the Inconel 718 pin surface was detected and associated with coating rupture and peeling, exacerbating with rise in temperature. Adhesion, abrasion, and oxidation are primary wear mechanisms at 400 °C and 760 °C. For SS 316L, coating transfer only happen at 400 °C. No damage of coating at 40 °C, a complete damage at 400 °C, and formation of dense porous oxides layers at 760 °C have been noticed. At 400 °C, adhesion, abrasion, and chipping while at 760 °C, adhesion, three body abrasion, ploughing and oxidation are the main wear mechanisms.

Additive manufacturing (AM) introduces high variability in the microstructure and defect distributions, compared with conventional processing techniques, which introduces greater uncertainty in the resulting fatigue performance of manufactured parts. As a result, qualification of AM parts poses as a problem in continued adoption of these materials in safety-critical components for the aerospace industry. Hence, there is a need to develop precise and accurate, physics-based predictive models to quantify the fatigue performance, as a means to accelerate the qualification of AM parts. The fatigue performance is a critical requirement in the safe-life design philosophy used in the aerospace industry. Fatigue failure is governed by the loading conditions and the attributes of the material microstructure, namely, grain size distribution, texture, and defects. In this work, the crystal plasticity finite element (CPFE) method is employed to model the microstructure-based material response of an additively manufactured Ni-based superalloy, Inconel 718 (IN718). Using CPFE and associated experiments, methodologies were developed to assess multiple aspects of the fatigue behavior of IN718 using four studies. In the first study, a CPFE framework is developed to estimate the critical characteristics of porosity, namely the pore size and proximity that would cause a significant debit in the fatigue life. The second study is performed to evaluate multiple metrics based on plastic strain and local stress in their ability to predict both the modes of failure as seen in fractography experiments and estimate the scatter in fatigue life due to microstructural variability as obtained from fatigue testing. In the third study, a systematic analysis was performed to investigate the role of the simulation volume and the microstructural constraints on the fatigue life predictions to provide informed guidelines for simulation volume selection that is both computationally tractable and results in consistent scatter predictions. In the fourth study, validation of the CPFE results with the experiments were performed to build confidence in the model predictions. To this end, 3D realistic microstructures representative of the test specimen were created based on the multi-modal experimental data obtained from high-energy diffraction experiments and electron backscatter diffraction microscopy. Following this, the location of failure is predicted using the model, which resulted in an unambiguous one to one correlation with the experiment. In summary, the development of microstructure-sensitive predictive methods for fatigue assessment presents a tangible step towards the adoption of model-based approaches that can be used to compliment and reduce the overall number of physical tests necessary to qualify a material for use in application.