Increase of misfit during creep of superalloys and its correlation with deformation Original Research Article

In superalloys the loss of coherency during creep results in the increase of misfit of the γ/γ′-interface. The kinetics of this process were measured locally by TEM (Moiré fringes) and X-ray diffraction. Two materials were creep tested (SRR99 and CMSX-4) in two temperature ranges (stable γ′-morphology and rafting), and the morphology changes were quantified. A microstructural model allows calculation of the equilibrium misfit and the increase of plastic strain on the basis of these data. At high temperatures and low stresses the model describes quantitatively creep kinetics up to 30 h. Here the processes controlling primary creep are propagation of dislocation loops along matrix channels and thickening of the matrix channels orientated perpendicular to the load direction.