Comparison of Room and High Temperature Fatigue Behavior of a new LPBF VDM 780 Alloy

Abstract

The actual environmental challenges require a huge effort from all industrial sectors to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gasses and pollutants. In this context, aeronautics is deeply concerned as one of the most emissive industrial sectors (cf. EU Green Deal). The answer to this pressing challenge is complex and involves new fuels and engine concepts, new aerostructures with higher weight-savings, as well as new, energy-efficient, and sustainable manufacturing technologies and materials. Two technologies may contribute particularly to achieving the goals: (i) new and more energy-efficient processes such as additive manufacturing (AM) can be used for part production; (ii) the engine efficiency of airplanes can be significantly improved to save fuel and reduce gas emissions. The latter can be achieved by increasing the engine thermal efficiency, i.e., increasing the turbine inlet temperature. Currently, only single-crystalline cast materials are available to be used for the thermally highest-loaded parts in the gas turbine engine, i.e., the turbine blades in the high-pressure turbine just behind the combustion chamber. These materials rely on a special casting technology, although they lose these original material performances when additively manufactured. In addition, current materials suitable for metal additive manufacturing have a limited range of temperature application. Therefore, the focus is on the development of new materials targeting higher in-service operation temperatures and durability. Recently, a new Ni-based superalloy (VDM 780) has been developed to ensure microstructural stability up to 800 °C. The goal of this work is to provide a deeper understanding of the high temperature fatigue properties of this alloy. This will enable the identification of the maximum operating temperature of this alloy and assess its performance in order to establish its potential in view of a new generation of more efficient aero-engines.