CALPHAD informed design of multicomponent CoNiCr-based superalloys exhibiting large lattice misfit and high yield stress

Usually, Co-based superalloys contain a high fraction of W and/or Mo. The refractory elements stabilize the precipitate phase, but cause a high density. In this work, new L12-phase hardened, low-density CoNiCr-based superalloys were developed with the assistance of CALPHAD calculations. Several alloys were studied experimentally and their microstructures, elemental distributions, lattice parameters and the lattice misfit between the γ and γ′ phases were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atom probe tomography and high energy X-ray diffraction. The alloys exhibit a very high misfit, good phase stability and excellent mechanical strength. It was found by hardness tests that a two-step heat treatment improves the strength of the new alloys even further. In comparison with conventional Co-based superalloys, Co–Al–W based superalloys and Co–Ti based superalloys, as well as Ni-based superalloys, i.e. Udimet 720Li, they have a low mass density and high yield stress. They also overcome the problem of a generally low lattice misfit of previous L12-phase hardened CoNiCr-based superalloys with high Ni and Cr contents. As a result, they show cuboidal-shaped precipitates similar to Co–Al–W and Co–Al–Mo based superalloys.