New polycrystalline MC-reinforced nickel-based superalloys for use at elevated temperatures (T > 1100°C)

In some high temperature applications, there is a constant need of refractory alloys able to resist oxidation by hot gases, hot corrosion by various melts and creep deformation. The best superalloys are currently the g/g’ nickel-based single crystals but they cannot be exposed to 1200°C and more without losing their mechanical resistance. New principles of conventionally cast polycrystalline nickel alloys, combining good resistance against both hot gas oxidation and melts corrosion are explored in this work. Among them, the most promising system involves a reinforcement by HfC carbides. The studied alloy has kept its chromia-forming behaviour which allows good resistance against both oxidation resistance and corrosion by melts. Interesting for a nickel-based alloy containing no g’ precipitates, its creep resistance at 1200°C still remains to be improved to allow using it at so high temperature.