Effect of Ti/Nb/Ta addition on the γ/γ' coherent microstructure in low-density and high-strength Co-Al-W-Mo-based superalloys

Coherent precipitation of cuboidal γ'-Co3(Al,W) nanoparticles in face-centered-cubic (FCC)-γ matrix is of great significance for improving high-temperature mechanical properties of Co-based superalloys. The present work developed a series of low-density Co-based superalloys in light of the cluster composition formula of [Al1-(Co,Ni)12]((Al0.5(Ti/Nb/Ta)0.5W0.5)(Mo0.5Cr0.5Co0.5)), where the addition of Ti, Nb, and Ta is mixed with an equimolar ratio. It is found that these designed alloys with different combinations of Ti/Nb/Ta, Ti/Nb, and Ti/Ta possess the coherent microstructure of cuboidal γ' nanoprecipitates in the FCC-γ matrix. The microstructural evolution of coherent γ/γ' during aging at 1173 K shows that these superalloys exhibit higher thermal stability at high temperatures. Even after aging for 1000 h, there do not exist any other precipitated phases on grain boundaries, except the coarse γ' precipitates. Also, the coarsening rate constants of cuboidal γ' nanoprecipitates in these alloys are very low (K = 5.76-6.03 nm3/s), which is mainly ascribed to a moderate lattice misfit (ε = 0.28%-0.45%) between γ and γ'. The stable γ/γ' microstructure renders the alloys with prominent mechanical properties, as evidenced by the high yield strength of σYS = 438-445 MPa at 1143 K. A large amount of stacking faults appear after compressive deformation and Lomer-Contrell dislocation locks are also formed due to the reaction of partial dislocations of stacking faults. Moreover, the microhardness (285-320 HV) in each alloy keeps almost constant with the aging time. Besides, these superalloys have a relatively lower density (8.67-8.89 g/cm3), among which the alloy containing Ti0.25Ta0.25 also exhibits a much higher γ' solvus temperature (1361 ± 2 K) than those of the existing Co-Al-W-based superalloys.