Papers by Author: Valentino Lupinc

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to critically analyse the effect of the ’ morphology evolution on the creep strain rate behaviour in the temperature range 900 - 1100°C where rafts form in superalloys for single crystal turbine blade and vane applications. A close examination of the experimental results has shown different regimes of strain accumulation depending on the value of the applied stress and temperature. The experimental results have been rationalised in terms of the ’ shape evolution during creep.

Abstract: The high temperature creep and fatigue properties of two  -TiAl base intermetallic alloys, for gas turbine components, have been investigated within the Integrated European project IMPRESS. The alloys contain 8% at. of Ta or Nb, respectively. The microstructure of both alloys was cross convoluted lamellar rather than the well known conventional lamellar, typical of the usual -TiAl. The microstructure of the Ta containing alloy was homogeneous in all the analyzed batches whilst that of the Nb alloy appeared significantly spread out from specimen to specimen. The creep properties of the alloys were investigated in the temperature range 700-850°C with applied stresses in order to have times to rupture up to about 3,000 h. The creep behaviour presented no steady state regimes, but only minima of the creep rates between significant decelerating and accelerating regimes. The minimum creep rates of the Ta alloy resulted to be significantly slower than the Niobium alloy at the same creep conditions. In low cycle fatigue at 650 and 700°C the Ta  -TiAl showed longer lives than the Nb alloy, whilst the fatigue crack propagation rate in the same temperature range did not show any significant difference. Threshold values of stress intensity factor range were accurately measured at different R ratio. The microstructures of the two alloys were analysed by scanning microscopy in order to rationalise the different mechanical behaviour.

Abstract: The creep behaviour of the solid solution strengthened nickel-based superalloy Haynes 230 has been investigated under constant load and temperature conditions on as received, after conventional solution treatment, and on overaged conditions. The experimental results have shown a very strong dependence of the creep curve shape with the applied stress/temperature: in the tests performed at high stresses/low temperatures, the primary/decelerating stage takes an important portion of the creep curve. At these test conditions, the accelerating creep is mainly caused by the increase of the applied stress with the strain as it happens in constant load creep tests. In the tests performed at low stresses/high temperatures, the primary stage is very small and the following accelerating creep is characterized by different accelerating creep stages. The analysis of the creep curves on the as received and overaged alloys, has shown that a large portion of the accelerating creep at low stresses/high temperatures is caused by microstructural instability.