Stress-rupture strength of alloy 718

Alloy 718 is the most widely used of the nickel-base superalloys in aerospace applications such as compressor and turbine disks, cases, compressor blades and fasteners in aircraft gas-turbine engines. Since the development of the superalloy by Inco Alloys International over 30 years ago, researchers have made many slight modifications in chemical composition, and have refined process techniques to achieve further improvements in performance. Relatively little information on the effects of phosphorus has been published, and the available information is contradictory. However, phosphorus in superalloys is generally considered detrimental, and by specification is controlled to a low maximum value (0.015% max, for example, in AMS5662 E). This lack of data is the basis of a study by Teledyne Allvac to determine the effects of the interaction of phosphorus, boron, and carbon on the mechanical properties, processing characteristics, and microstructure of Allvac 718. Results show that a significant improvement in stress-rupture properties over those of a commercial Alloy 718 material is possible by optimizing phosphorus, boron, and carbon additions.