The deformation mechanism and static recrystallization (SRX) behavior of an Ni-based single-crystal superalloy are investigated. Indentation tests were performed to investigate the effects of crystal orientation and external stress on SRX behavior. Following solution heat treatment, the depth of the SRX layer below the indentation increases with a deviation angle (β) from the [001] orientation. The slip analysis indicates that an increased deviation angle leads to an increase in the resolved shear stress on the slip plane and a decrease in the number of active slip systems. In addition, the variation pattern of the SRX layer depth with the deviation angle is consistent for different external stresses. The depth of the SRX layer also increases with external stress. The coarse γ′ phases and residual γ/γ′ eutectics obviously enhance the pinning effects on the expansion of recrystallized grain boundaries, resulting in slower growth rates of the recrystallized grains in interdendritic regions than those in dendrite core regions.

The inhibition of recrystallization in high-strain nickel-based single-crystal superalloys remains a critical challenge for advanced turbine blade applications. This study investigates the evolution of the primary γ’ phase and dislocation during annealing in a third-generation Re-containing single-crystal superalloy (WZ30) subjected to 5% compressive deformation. Isochronal annealing (700 to 1200 °C, 1 min) combined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and an electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis revealed a nonlinear variation of the geometrically necessary dislocation (GND) density, which reached a minimum of 1000 °C with 62.7% of the primary γ’ phase retained. Prolonged recovery annealing at 1000 °C for 10 h effectively inhibited recrystallization during subsequent solution heat treatment. This result provides a practical strategy for inhibiting recrystallization in single-crystal superalloys.

Solidification experiments in two opposite directions were conducted to investigate the buoyancy effect on freckle formation during directional solidification in single-crystal superalloy castings. During conventional upward solidification with the superalloy CMSX-4, severe freckles were observed in castings of various geometries. By reversing the solidification direction from upward to downward, freckle-free castings could be obtained. To visually verify the effect of the solidification direction, an in situ observation experiment by varying the solidification direction was performed using a Ga-In alloy. In the upward solidification process, strong solutal convection was visually observed due to the decrease in the density of the interdendritic liquid. Conversely, a stable condition without visible flow was established during downward solidification, due to the stable state of the top-light, bottom-heavy liquid system. A new Rayleigh-number model was successfully applied to characterize the freckle features in superalloy cluster castings. When the solidification direction was reversed from upward to downward, the driving force for solutal convection was suppressed, leading to the complete elimination of freckle formation in single-crystal superalloy castings.

The undercooling capacity of a superalloy is an essential physical property to determine its single-crystal (SC) castability, because stray grains (SGs) will be formed if the geometrical undercooling established at the platform extremities exceeds the undercooling capacity of the applied alloy. In the present work, both the undercooling capacity of eight Ni-based superalloys and their SC castability were experimentally investigated. The liquidus temperature, the critical temperature for grain nucleation, and hence the undercooling capacities of the investigated alloys were evaluated based on the temperature evolution during the heating and cooling processes. The current experimental study revealed a significant difference in undercooling capacity for the superalloys. In the production of SC blade castings, the tendency to form SG defects was found to be highly related to the alloy’s undercooling capacity. The alloys having a low undercooling capacity of around 10 K were very prone to the formation of SGs. In comparison, the alloys with a moderate undercooling capacity from 20 K to 30 K could be easily cast into SC blades without SGs, exhibiting the best SC castability. Other factors influencing the SG formation were also analyzed. As a result, a criterion for the formation of geometry-related SG defects was proposed, in which the influence of the alloy undercooling capacity, casting geometry, and solidification condition are involved.

During the production of single-crystal superalloy blades, a kind of channel-type defect, named “quasi-freckle”, was found on the casting surface, which is similar to typical freckles in macroscopic appearance but different in microstructure. In the as-cast microstructure of the quasi-freckle channels, the γ/γ’ eutectic is significantly accumulated and can be dissolved during the solution heat treatment. Since no disoriented grains were detected, the quasi-freckles have a basically identical crystal orientation with the matrix. The quasi-freckle channels actually appear as thermosolutal convection traces in the directional solidification process of single-crystal casting. Because the convection was not strong enough to break dendrite arms, the single-crystal consistency of the castings was not destroyed. However, with the deterioration of the solidification condition and the increase in solutal convection, quasi-freckles often develop into typical freckle defects.

In the present work, the effect of different casting processes on the microstructure and creep properties of the second-generation single-crystal superalloy DD419 was investigated. Under conventional production conditions and a contour-suited thermal insulation method, single-crystal rods of types A and B were fabricated, respectively. In comparison to rod type A, the solidification process of rod type B featured a 1.6-fold increase in the temperature gradient and a 32% reduction in primary dendrite spacing. The γ/γ′ eutectic in the as-cast microstructure, the residual eutectic phase, and porosity after heat treatment were also significantly reduced, resulting in the improved homogeneity of the single crystal castings. Under the testing conditions of 850 °C/650 MPa and 1050 °C/190 MPa, the stress rupture life of sample B was enhanced by 25% and 5.2%, respectively, compared to sample A. Therefore, due to dendrite structure refinement, the stress rupture life of the superalloy was evidently improved, especially at medium temperatures.