Influence of texture on anomalous yielding behavior of thermomechanically processed nickel-based superalloy 720Li

Precipitation-strengthened Ni-base superalloys are extensively used for high-temperature load-bearing applications due to their unique combination of yield stress anomaly (YSA), excellent creep, fatigue, and corrosion resistance. However, in line with the previous reported results, it is shown in the present study that 720 Li alloy does not exhibit YSA during uniaxial deformation. The investigation explores the role of anti-phase boundary (APB) energy, Zener ratio and break away stress of Kear-Wilsdrof (KW) lock on YSA behavior. It is shown that in spite of meeting all the energetic requirements necessary for YSA (viz. energy for octahedral to cubic cross slip along with high break away shear stress, i.e. ∼ 80 MPa); the thermo-mechanically processed 720Li alloy does not exhibit YSA. In support of the observed absence of YSA, a plausible mechanism is provided for the first time through this work. This unusual absence of YSA has been attributed to the crystallographic texture of the alloy (specifically, the loading direction (LD) being parallel to [ 1 1 ¯ 1 ] ), which prevents the formation of KW-locks in the first place. The [ 1 1 ¯ 1 ] texturing has been shown to rather lead to direct cubic plane slip i.e. {001} <110>, thereby paving way for suppression of KW-locks (and hence YSA). In order to validate this postulate, the study also examines a vacuum induction melt and cast Ni ₇₅(Al ₁₁, Ti ₁₄), L1 ₂ compound. The presence of YSA in the L1 ₂ compound under conditions of LD not being parallel to [ 1 1 ¯ 1 ] , confirms that texturing impacts the occurrence of YSA.