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  MSE / Research / Projects / Defects Associated with Solidification of Melt-Processed Superalloys for the Aerospace Industry and Their Impact on High-Temperature Mechanical Properties

Defects Associated with Solidification of Melt-Processed Superalloys for the Aerospace Industry and Their Impact on High-Temperature Mechanical Properties
Collaborators: P. Voorhees, Northwestern University
Materials: Metals
Application: Structural
Technique: Processing Characterization

Nickel-base single crystals are critical to the operation of high performance turbine engines, and in particular aircraft engines. In recent years grain defect formation during directional solidification has become an increasingly important problem due to the increasing levels of strengthening refractory alloying additions in these alloys and also due to the increasing size and complexity of single crystal castings in current aircraft engines. The University of Michigan will contribute to the MEANS program on this subject led by Northwestern University in two areas: (1) Single Crystal Growth Experiments for Model Ternary Systems and (2) Three Dimensional Characterization of Dendrite Morphology. Single crystal growth experiments will be conducted in conventional Bridgman mode or in the Liquid Metal Cooling (LMC) mode. In the LMC process the mold is withdrawn directly from the hot zone of the furnace into a bath of liquid tin, which provides enhanced heat extraction compared to conventional radiation cooling. Three-dimensional datasets of dendrite morphologies will be acquired in collaboration with the Air Force Materials Laboratory (Dr. Jonathon Spowart) with the use of the Robo-Met 3-D serial sectioning system.
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