Influence of crystal orientations on the creep fracture of a nickel-based single crystal superalloy

Due to the anisotropy of the modulus of face-centered cubic cells, the nickel-based single crystal alloys exhibits substantial anisotropy at high temperatures. Their creep properties, especially the creep rupture lives, are related to the actuation of the slip system and the magnitude of the shear stress on the slip plane. The creep orientation sensitivity has been analyzed through creep experiments, as well as the microstructure and morphology of the fracture. On the macroscale, the necking sections of [0 0 1], [0 1 1] and [1 1 1] orientations are circular, elliptical and circular, respectively. Meanwhile, on the microscopic scale, the damage evolution caused by the expansion of the internal micropores in the single crystal alloy under the three orientations shows fourfold symmetry, double symmetry and triple symmetry, respectively. Based on the crystal plasticity theory, an anisotropic creep constitutive model and damage model are established to reflect the difference in creep deformation and damage evolution caused by orientation. The numerical simulations of the whole creep process of a second generation nickel-based single crystal superalloy show that the creep constitutive model and damage model can simulate the deformation and damage of the specimen under different orientations, and the creep life can be obtained.