Influence of solid solution hardening on creep properties of single-crystal nickel-based superalloys

Improving the creep resistance of the matrix by alloying with refractory elements is a major strengthening effect in nickel-based superalloy with rhenium as one of the most effective elements. In this work, the influence of rhenium on creep properties of single-phase single crystals with varying rhenium content and matrix-near composition is investigated. The use of single-crystalline material leads to very distinct results which are not deteriorated by grain boundary effects. So the strengthening effect can be solely attributed to the alloying element rhenium and is quantified for the first time. By comparing the creep strength of two matrix compositions with the corresponding single-crystal superalloys using the threshold stress concept, the potential of creep strengthening of the matrix in two-phase single-crystal alloys is quantified.