Influence of an Aluminide Coating on the TMF Life of a Single Crystal Nickel-Base Superalloy

TMF tests were conducted with bare and aluminide coated single crystal nickel-based superalloy specimens. Temperature cycling was between 400 C and 1,100 C with a phase shift (135 deg) that is typical for damaged locations on turbine blades. Stress response is characterized by a constant range and the formation of a tensile mean stress as a result of relaxation in the high temperature part of the cycle which is in compression. Bare specimens showed crack initiation from typical oxide hillocks. Coated specimens showed life reduction with respect to the bare ones caused by brittle cracking of the coating in the low temperature part of the cycle. Isothermal bending tests of coated specimens confirmed the low ductility of the coating at temperatures below 600 C but quantitative correlation with the TMF test results failed.