Fundamental Dislocation Processes in Superalloys
Project C3 of SFB/TR103
This project investigates high-temperature dislocation-dislocation and dislocation-precipitate interactions in the gamma/gamma-prime microstructure of Ni-base superalloys.
Single crystal Ni-base superalloys represent key materials for turbine blades in modern gas turbines for aero engines and power plants. Improvements in efficiency and emissions require new concepts in single crystal technology and alloy development. These require a mechanistic understanding of the deformation processes at high temperatures, in particular of the interaction of dislocations in the gamma channels with the gamma prime precipitates. These are studied by means of large-scale atomistic simulations in project C3 of the Collaborative Research Centre SFB/Transregio 103 “From atoms to turbine blades – a scientific basis for a new generation of single crystal superalloys” and compared with TEM observations from the experimental projects.
The main objectives of project C3 are to provide a better understanding of the interactions between diffusion and dislocation-mediated processes and to study the influence of the local chemical composition on the deformation mechanisms. In addition, the nucleation and propagation of cracks at and in TCP phases will be studied. For this purpose, atomistic simulations, including hybrid MD/MC and diffusive molecular dynamics (DMD) methods are performed.