SuperICME

The aim of this proposal is to introduce the ICME methodology to Swedish industry and to evaluate the power of computational tools based on the CALPHAD technique. The computational work is supported by experimental work and metallography to validate the simulated predictions on how the microstructure has developed during solidification, joining and heat treatments of superalloys.

Ni-based superalloys are alloys that exhibit excellent mechanical strength and resistance to creep at high temperatures, good surface stability and fatigue, resistance to oxidation and hot corrosion. These kinds of alloys usually contain at least ten alloying elements, with each one being added for a specific purpose. Due to this complexity in chemistry, it has traditionally taken a long time to optimise properties of existing alloys and to develop completely new alloys.

Thanks to computational thermodynamics and the CALPHAD technique, it is now possible to perform accurate calculations even for these very complex alloys, and thereby speed up the development time substantially.

There are two technical aims and one comprehensive aim of this feasibility study: - To evaluate the feasibility of the ICME approach for optimising homogenization heat treatments of nickel-base superalloys, corroborated by experimental results. - To evaluate the feasibility of the ICME approach on the aspects of gamma prime coarsening due to over-ageing during the service of superalloys. - The comprehensive aim is to outline an experimental study which is intended to be a part of a larger project, to be applied for on the basis of this feasibility study. There is also a didactic aim of study in strengthening the competence on ICME and CALPHAD approaches among the participating partners.