Cyclic deformation behaviour of γ′-Ni3(Al, Ti) single crystal containing disordered γ precipitates Original Research Article

Effect of disordered γ precipitates on the cyclic deformation behaviour of γ′-Ni3(Al,Ti)-based single crystals with L12 structure was investigated. The γ precipitates with fine spherical and coarse plate-like shapes were formed in the γ′-based single crystals by annealing at 1073 K for 3 h (peak-aged) and 100 h (over-aged), respectively. The over-aged crystal shows stronger cyclic hardening than does the peak-aged crystal, although the yield stress of the peak-aged crystal is higher than that of the over-aged one. In these two crystals the precipitates were sheared by superlattice dislocations dissociated into superpartials. The separation distance between superpartials increased in the precipitates because there was no APB in the disordered phase and the cyclic hardening was enhanced in the aged crystal. The size of the precipitates in the over-aged crystal was reduced by shear deformation resulting in acceleration of the cyclic hardening. Dissolution of γ phase into γ′ matrix did not occur during cyclic loading and cyclic softening did not appear.