Research progress of powder metallurgy superalloy in aero engine applications
Journal Title: China Powder Science and Technology - Year 2025, Vol 31, Issue 1
Abstract
[Significance] To enhance the service life of critical components such as turbine disks in aero engines， this paper summarizes and analyzes the research progress on material design and preparation techniques for powder metallurgy superalloys. The effects of trace elements， including carbon（C）， tantalum（Ta）， hafnium（Hf）， boron（B）， zirconium（Zr）， cobalt （Co）， titanium（Ti）， and rare earth elements， as well as their dosages， on the properties of powder metallurgy superalloys are reviewed. Furthermore， the impact of preparation techniques， such as hot isostatic pressing（HIP）， hot extrusion， powder injection molding （PIM）， and additive manufacturing（AM）， along with their process parameters， on the properties of powder metallurgy superalloys is summarized. [Progress] The addition of trace elements such as C， Ta， Hf， B， Zr， Co， Ti， and rare earth elements can significantly impact the microstructure， mechanical strength， friction and wear resistance， and service life of powder metallurgy superalloys. The content of these trace elements is also a crucial factor. For instance， an appropriate amount of C can facilitate the formation of carbides， reduce grain size， and thereby enhance the microstructure and mechanical properties of powder metallurgy superalloys. However， excessive C can lead to the formation of numerous and large-sized carbides， which can deteriorate the interface bonding， making it prone to microcracks and ultimately reducing the alloy’s performance. Similarly， a moderate amount of Ta can improve the thermal conductivity and oxidation resistance of powder metallurgy superalloys， while an appropriate level of Hf can enhance mechanical properties by influencing the phase transformation behavior. B improves the high-temperature durability of the alloy by segregating at grain boundaries and forming borides. Zr， by segregating at grain boundaries and promoting carbide stability， reduces defects and enhances the thermal strength of the alloy. The introduction of Co and Ti enhances the mechanical properties of powder metallurgy superalloys. Furthermore， a suitable amount of Sc （a rare earth element） can significantly improve the tensile properties of powder metallurgy superalloys. In summary， to achieve powder metallurgy superalloys with superior performance， it is essential to carefully select the types and contents of trace elements to be added. The commonly used preparation techniques for powder metallurgy superalloys are HIP and hot extrusion. The adoption of HIP in the preparation of powder metallurgy superalloys can effectively mitigate internal defects such as porosity， achieving better pressing and molding effects. It can also improve the microstructural characteristics， prior particle boundary （PPB） defects， mechanical properties， and fatigue performance of the alloy. The hot extrusion process optimizes the material’s microstructure and enhances the alloy’s mechanical properties. During the preparation of powder metallurgy superalloys， both HIP parameters and hot extrusion process parameters significantly impact the alloy’s performance. For instance， increasing the HIP treatment temperature can significantly reduce the PPB within the powder metallurgy superalloy. When the extrusion temperature， extrusion ratio， and extrusion speed during hot extrusion are increased， the dynamic recrystallization of the alloy becomes more complete. However， excessively high extrusion temperatures， ratios， and speeds can lead to a significant increase in grain size， which is detrimental to subsequent processing and forming. In recent years， AM and PIM processes have also become increasingly prevalent. By adjusting the injection speed in the PIM process， the mechanical properties of powder metallurgy superalloys can be significantly influenced. Similarly， both the temperature and forming direction in the AM process affect the material’s tensile properties. In conclusion， it is crucial to select appropriate process types and parameters for the preparation of powder metallurgy superalloys. [Conclusions and Prospects] Regarding powder metallurgy superalloys， although the research on their elemental composition and preparation processes is now relatively advanced， the demanding service conditions faced by critical aerospace components such as turbine disks and turbine shafts necessitate further improvements. In the future， emphasis will be placed on the optimization of their composition， innovation in processing techniques， and precise control of microstructure to enhance their overall performance. From the aspect of material design， the elemental composition of powder metallurgy superalloys can be optimized incorporating more high-performance elements， producing powder metallurgy superalloys that exhibit greater high-temperature resistance， oxidation resistance， superior mechanical properties， and prolonged service life. Regarding preparation processes， parameters for HIP and hot extrusion should be optimized， and a combined approach utilizing both HIP and hot extrusion should be adopted for the preparation of powder metallurgy superalloys. Additionally， efforts should continue to refine PIM and AM processes， while also exploring novel， efficient， and high-quality methods for the preparation of powder metallurgy superalloys.
Authors and Affiliations
Zhenyu SHI, Xiaowen LIU, Laicong SONG, Yong LI, Ningmin DUAN, Jilai WANG, Chengpeng ZHANG
Keywords
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- EP ID EP760535
- DOI 10.13732/j.issn.1008-5548.2025.01.005
- Views 27
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