Tensile Strengthening in the Nickel-Base Superalloy IN738LC

The tensile properties of superalloy IN738LC with different precipitate microstructures are evaluated at room temperature, 650 °C, 750 °C, and 85 °C at two different strain rates. The properties can be presented in two groups based on the comparable closeness of the values obtained—those of microstructures C and M, with coarse and medium size precipitates, and those of microstructures F and D, with fine and duplex size (medium + fine) precipitates. Preferred orientations, lattice parameters, and metallography are used to characterize the microstructure and tensile testing to determine the yield strength, tensile strength, and strain hardening coefficients. An anomalous increase in yield strength is observed, which occurs at temperatures about 100 °C higher with higher strain rate than with lower strain rate applied. The experimental results show that the yield strength is influenced by preferred orientations and precipitate size, while the tensile strength is effected by the size and morphology of precipitates.