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Grain boundary fracture and alloy design of intermetallics

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5295786

This paper reviews recent progress in our understanding of brittle grain-boundary (GB) fracture in ordered intermetallics. Different kinds of GB brittleness are considered, including intrinsic intergranular (IG) brittleness, which in alloys like Ni{sub 3}Al is the single major cause of poor ductility and brittle fracture, but in others (like NiAl and FeAl) is not the sole cause. Consequently, although boron suppresses IG fracture in all three intermetallics, it produces dramatic ductilization only in Ni{sub 3}Al and not in FeAl or NiAl. Extrinsic GB brittleness is examined by considering Ni{sub 3}Si, in which environmental embrittlement is a major cause of IG fracture, and the beneficial effect of boron apparently to suppression of that embrittlement. 70 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
OSTI ID:
5295786
Report Number(s):
CONF-911240-2; ON: DE91018253
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English