Strength engineering in a nickel-base superalloy

Nickel-base superalloys are complex alloys often containing more than ten elements. Alloying with an increasing amount of refractory elements is one way to improve high-temperature capability and creep resistance. Re and Ru are two such alloying elements, with Re being used to promote the alloy’s creep resistance, and Ru being used to reduce the formation of topologically close-packed phases. A detailed understanding of hardening mechanisms in the alloy and the effect of alloying elements on the γ matrix and γ’ precipitates is important in designing alloys with improved properties. In this application note, Bruker Nano combines nanoindentation with scanning probe microscopy (SPM) imaging to directly measure the properties of the individual phases.