MA6812 Advanced

Materials Engineering

SUPER ALLOYS
& COMPOSITES

AY2024-25 (S1) Sunil C. Joshi

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 Superalloys
Heat-resistant (SUPERIOR) alloys

Expected to maintain structural, surface and

property stability at elevated temperatures,
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under high stress, and in severe
environments.

Must exhibit good resistance to corrosion, creep, fatigue,

thermal fatigue, thermal shock, impact, cavitation,
erosion, and crack propagation. Also have good forming
characteristics and weldability.

Iron, cobalt and nickel-base alloys containing chromium

offer resistance to oxidation and hot corrosion.

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 Superalloys: Applications
Used where components must be in service for prolonged
periods of time and where long-term structural stability is
important.

- Maximum service temperature -

Structural applications <9500C
With no load < 12000C

e.g. components for aircraft, steam power plants, chemical

plant equipment, petrochemical equipment, space vehicles,
heat treating equipment, etc.

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 Iron-base superalloys
Have a FCC matrix and form the phases with abnormally short
inter-atomic distances.

Various elements added, (such as Ni, Al, Ti & Nb) precipitate inter-
metallic phases from the matrix by suitable heat treatment.
Usage: gas-turbine engine blades, discs, casings; fasteners.

FCC alloys are often hardened by addition of carbon (up to 0.5%) to

form general carbide precipitate; nitrogen and phosphorus sometimes
are added to enhance this effect. Elements in solid solution add
limited strengthening.
Usage: furnace hardware, high temperature industrial fans.

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 Cobalt-base superalloys
In heat treated condition have FCC structure. Also contain secondary
carbide phases, e.g., M6C, M23C6 etc.

a) High temperature group (650-11500C):

S-816 - turbochargers, gas turbine wheels and vanes.
Haynes 25 - gas turbine, nuclear-reactor, surgical implants.
Haynes 188 - combustors & transition ducts in gas turbines.

b) fastener alloys (up to 6500C):

MP 35N and MP 159 designed to be work-hardened. Have high
strength and high ductility. Main use - fasteners.

c) wear-resistant:
Stellite 6B has high hot hardness and good resistance to oxidation.
Used for erosion shields in steam turbines, for wear pads in gas
turbines, etc.

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 Nickel-base superalloys
Outstanding oxidation resistance due to combination of nickel
and chromium.
Exceed stainless steel in mechanical strength above 6500C.
Solid solution alloys: Inconel 600, Inconel 601, RA 333
Applications: furnace parts, heat treating equipment, high-
temperature chemical processing equipment (e.g.
hydrocarbon reformers and crackers), power generation
equipment for super-heater tubing, ash handling systems,
stack gas scrubbers,
In general, parts that must resist heat and corrosion.

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 Reinforced composites
Consists of a matrix of one material that surrounds particles or
fibers of a second material.
Some composites involve layers of different materials; the
individual layers may themselves be composites.

(NED, p85)

Particulate, short fiber and continuous fiber composites

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Concept of Reinforced Composites
(PLT, p213)

Brittle ceramic

• Longitudinal tension/ compression carried by the fibres.

• Matrix distributes load between fibres. It stabilizes, protects and
prevents fibres from buckling in compression.
• Matrix transfers load to fibres at the interface through shear.
• Fibre-matrix interface bond vital for proper load transfer.

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 Common Matrix Materials
1) Polymeric - Thermosetting and thermoplastics (PMC)
2) Metallic - Pure metal and alloys (MMC)
3) Ceramics (CMC)

Thermosetting - Epoxies, polyesters, phenolic (curing)

Thermoplastics - Polycarbonates, polyamides, polystyrene,
and polypropylene (solidification)
Metals - Aluminum, magnesium, nickel, copper,
titanium
Ceramic - Alumina, zirconia, silicon nitride

PMC – Polymer Matrix Composites

MMC – Metal Matrix Composites
CMC – Ceramic Matrix Composites

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 Role of the constituents
Functions of Reinforcements
• Bring in their particular characteristics.
• Carry entire or most of the load.
• Provide superior strength / stiffness possibly at
reduced weight.
• Provide better properties. (e.g. thermal expansion)
Functions of matrix
• Retain shape of the structure.
• Protect reinforcement.
• Stabilize reinforcement.
• Transfer loads to and between reinforcing elements.

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 Particulate composites
Ductile particles + brittle matrix combination
increases fracture toughness as cracks have difficulty passing
through the particles.
e.g. rubber modified polystyrene

Hard and stiff particles + ductile matrix combination increases

strength and stiffness, however, generally decrease the
fracture toughness of a ductile matrix.
e.g. carbon black added to rubber

In a metal matrix composites (MMC), the overall strength is

achieved by dispersion and particle strengthening of the
matrix.

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 Dispersion strengthened MMC
Achieved by sintering a metal in powder form along with small
size (order of 0.1 µm) particles of a reinforcing material.
Volume fraction of the particles seldom exceeds 15%.

Matrix is the main load-carrying constituent. The reinforcing

particles impede slip on a localized level.

Examples:
1. Al reinforced with Al203→ improved creep resistance.
2. Tungsten with small amounts of oxide ceramics, such as
Al203, Si02 → good creep resistance → light-bulb filaments.

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 Particle strengthened MMC
Extension of dispersion reinforcement with larger size
(>0.1µm) particles and higher volume fractions (>0.25).

The particles initially impede deformation of matrix. They

also share the applied load.

Example: tungsten carbide (WC) in cobalt matrix

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 Cermets (Ceramic reinforced metals)
Combine ductility and toughness of a metal matrix with hardness
and compressive strength of ceramic particles.

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 Fibrous reinforcement
Strong and stiff fibers made from ceramic materials.
e.g. glass, graphite (carbon), boron, aramid polymer kevlar and
silicon carbide (SiC).

When embedded in a matrix of ductile nature, the resulting

composite can be strong, stiff, and tough.

Fiber diameters are typically in the range of 1 to 100 µm.

Whiskers are short fibers that consist of tiny elongated single

crystals. They are very strong because they are dislocation free.
e.g. SiC whiskers (Diameter ~ 1 to 10 µm, Length ~ 10 to 100 times
the diameter)

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Fibre-reinforced composites

Woven
fabric

Chopped
strand mat

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 Laminated composites
Laminate - two or more laminae bonded together to
act as an integral structural element

Layer /
Ply /
Lamina
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 Laminae to Laminate
Laminae  Stacking  Laminate

(Let’s watch a video of the

MOST basic process)

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Laminate stacking sequence

Unidirectional:
0/0/0…

Angle-ply:
±θ/ ±θ/ ±θ...,
θ ≠ 0 or 90.

Cross-ply:
0/90/0/90/...

Tailorable engineering properties

Optimize the materials usage to
achieve the desired performance
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Resultant forces and moments
For Isotropic materials: σ = E ε (Hooke’s Law)
For Orthotropic materials - Composites

Zero if
Stiffness
Stacking matrices
Sequence is
Symmetric A= extensional
Zero if B = bending-
Stacking extension
Sequence is coupling
Symmetric D = bending

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Types
Reinforce Matrix Examples Typical
ment Type Use
(a) Particulate composites
Ductile Brittle Rubber in Toys,
polymer or polymer polystyrene cameras
Cast elastomer
MMC (b) Short fiber, whisker composites
Strong Thermose Chopped Auto body
fiber tting glass in panels
plastic polyester
resin
Ceramic Ductile SiC Aircraft
metal whiskers in structural
Al alloy panels
(c) Continuous fiber composites
Ceramic Thermose Graphite in Aircraft
PMC tting epoxy wing flaps
Plastic
Ceramic Ductile Boron in Al Aircraft
metal alloy structure
Ceramic Ceramic SiC in Si3N4 Engine
parts
(d) Laminated composites
Stiff sheet Polymer Foam or Floor
honeycomb boards
sandwich
panels

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 Practice MCQs
1. Nickel-base superalloys are known for their
outstanding -
(a) Mechanical strength
(b) Oxidation resistance
(c) Property stability
(d) Impact resistance

2. Whiskers are __________ used as reinforcement

in composites.

(a) Polymer fibres

(b) Spherical particles of a ceramic
(c) Chopped glass fibres
(d) Tiny elongated single crystals
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 En d o f MODULE - I

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