The Effect of Silicide Volume Fraction on the Creep Behavior of Nb-Silicide Based In-Situ Composites

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis paper will describe the creep behavior of high-temperature Nb-silicide in-situ composites based on quaternary Nb-Hf-Ti-Si alloys. The effect of volume fraction of silicide on creep behavior, and the effects of Hf and Ti additions, will be described. The composites were tested in compression at temperatures up to 1200°C and stress levels in the range 70 to 280 MPa. At high (Nb) phase volume fractions the creep behavior is controlled by deformation of the (Nb) and, as the volume fraction of silicide is increased, the creep rate is reduced. However, at large silicide volume fractions (>0.7) damage in the silicide begins to degrade the creep performance. The creep rate has a minimum at a volume fraction of ∼0.6 silicide. The creep performance of the monolithic and silicide phases will also be discussed.