A polycrystalline hot working ingot metallurgy processing route for γ/γ′ Co–Al–W superalloys has been developed. Based on Co–7Al–7W (at%), substitutions of Mo, V, Ti, Ta, Ni, Si, Fe and Cr were examined. The γ′ solvus was found to follow the same trends as those exhibited by alloys with higher γ′ fractions considered by other investigators. Excessive Cr additions were found to lead to discontinuous coarsening and eventually, the loss of the γ′ phase from the microstructures observed. Ni additions were examined, with some success, and found to restore the γ′ phase and raise the solvus temperature. It was found that the addition of 13 at.% Cr improved the oxidation resistance at 800 °C by over 40 times
Using state-of-the-art energy dispersive spectroscopy, it has been established for the first time that there exists significant compositional variation (enrichment of Co and Cr and deficiency of Ni and Al) associated with superlattice intrinsic stacking faults created in the ordered γ′ precipitates following intermediate temperature deformation of two commercial superalloys. The results indicate that long range diffusion of these elements is intimately involved in the precipitate shearing process and is therefore closely linked to the time-dependent deformation of the alloys