Papers by Author: Armand Coujou

Abstract: In situ straining of microsamples have been carried out at different temperatures in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) to provide information about the elementary micromechanisms, which control the deformation in Ni-based superalloys at the nano and microscopic scales. The obstacles to the propagation of the dislocations have been identified and quantified when possible. The strengthening effect in the -matrix channels and the shearing of ' precipitates have been chosen to illustrate some results deduced from moving dislocation analysis. A quantitative evaluation of the stresses acting on dislocations has been performed. The shearing process of the ' precipitates at 850°C has been precisely analysed.

Abstract: The mechanical behavior of the polycrystalline NR3 Ni-based superalloy has been investigated at the microscopic scale. The elementary deformation mechanisms have been analyzed using transmission electron microscope observations as well as in situ straining experiments. Under low stress and relatively low strain rate conditions, a large variety of shearing micromechanisms has been observed depending on the local microstructure and the local effective stress. The influence of the smallest precipitates on the creep behavior has been enlightened: they induce narrow channels which act as obstacle for the movement of the dislocations. In the case of the narrowest channel, the deformation can operate by the propagation of Shockley dislocations or else, by the only propagation of the leading partial resulting from the partial dislocation decorrelation. The occurrence of the observed micromechanisms has been quantitatively analyzed using a nodal dislocation dynamics simulation.

Abstract: An in situ study of the plastic deformation of <001> single crystals of an industrial superalloy has been performed at 850 °C in a TEM to observe directly the micromechanisms which control the deformation under the actual temperature and stress conditions experienced by this material in aeroengines. A comparison between the creation and propagation modes of moving dislocations in the standard microstructure after annealing and the rafted microstructure after 20 h of creep at 1050°C evidence the important role of the width of the γ channels as well as the strength of the γ/γ’ interface in controlling the shearing events of γ’ channels.