| Ni-based superalloys continue to be used in the hot sections of turbine engines due to their superior high temperature properties and retained strength. The present document will focus specifically on the polycrystalline alloy R104, and the deformation substructure observed during and following cyclic mechanical testing. Both low cycle fatigue (LCF) and sustained peak low cycle fatigue (SPLCF) tests are considered.;Two chapters on electron microscopy technique development follow a brief introduction on general properties of Nickel superalloys. Almost exclusively, scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) was performed for defect characterization. Furthermore, through a systematic study of STEM-based diffraction contrast methods, including experimental and computational results, STEM is presented as a valid means of defect analysis. The second chapter in this set also uses STEM, but in a non-traditional setting: the microscope is configured for high resolution imaging, i.e., the sample is aligned along a low index zone axis and a large convergence angle is used. In this low angle annular dark field (LAADF) mode, an annular detector accepts low-angle scattering, which allows one to obtain atomic resolution images while retaining defect contrast. Both techniques described in these two chapters were used extensively throughout this research.;The remaining chapters discuss the application of the microscopy techniques developed in the proceeding chapters to cyclically deformed specimens of R104. Both interrupted and failed samples were deformed in LCF at 427°C and 704°C, and interrupted SPLCF samples were tested at 704 and 760°C. The deformation mechanisms observed will be discussed at length in this document. In general, dislocation activity dominates under LCF conditions while stacking faults and stacking fault ribbons are most prominent under SPLCF conditions. Time and temperature components will be discussed in regards to the operative mechanisms. A point of emphasis will remain the importance of understanding the deformation substructure in order to better understand the macroscopic behavior, such as cyclic stress-strain data. |
