General Electric Company
Enhanced superalloys by zirconium addition

Abstract:

A gamma prime nickel-based superalloy is provided, which can include a combination of Ti and Zr in a total weight amount sufficient to form cellular precipitates located at grain boundaries of the alloy, wherein the cellular precipitates define gamma prime arms that distort the grain boundaries at which they are located. The Hf-containing, gamma prime nickel-based superalloy and/or the gamma prime nickel-based superalloy can include cellular precipitates that are predominantly located at grain boundaries of the alloy such that the cellular precipitates define gamma prime arms that distort the grain boundaries at which they are located. The superalloys can further include finer gamma prime precipitates (e.g., cuboidal or spherical precipitates) than the cellular precipitates.