Three-Dimensional Characterization of Superdislocation Interactions in the High Temperature and Low Stress Creep Regime of Ni-Base Superalloy Single Crystals

Monocrystaline Ni-base superalloys are the material of choice for first row blades in jet engine gas turbines. Using a novel visualization tool for 3D reconstruction and visualization of dislocation line segments from stereo-pairs of scanning transmission electron microscopies, the superdislocation substructures in Ni-base superalloy LEK 94 (crept to e = 26%) are characterized. Probable scenarios are discussed, how these dislocation substructures form.