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Chinese Journal of Materials Research  2026, Vol. 40 Issue (3): 169-178    DOI: 10.11901/1005.3093.2025.128
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Hot Deformation Behavior and Microstructure Evolution of GH4151 High-strength Nickel-based Superalloy Under Thermal Compression
DAI Yuhang, WANG Yuemiao, BAI Yingbo, ZHANG Rui(), ZHANG Weihong, ZHOU Zijian, TAO Xipeng, CUI Chuanyong
Shi -changxu Innovation Center for Advanced Materials, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
Cite this article: 

DAI Yuhang, WANG Yuemiao, BAI Yingbo, ZHANG Rui, ZHANG Weihong, ZHOU Zijian, TAO Xipeng, CUI Chuanyong. Hot Deformation Behavior and Microstructure Evolution of GH4151 High-strength Nickel-based Superalloy Under Thermal Compression. Chinese Journal of Materials Research, 2026, 40(3): 169-178.

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Abstract  

The hot deformation behavior and microstructure evolution of the high-strength nickel-based superalloy GH4151 were systematically studied by isothermal compression test in temperature range from 1120 °C to 1200 °C, by strain rate between 0.001 and 0.1 s-1. Results indicate that at sub-solvus temperatures (1120-1160 °C), low strain rates promote dynamic recrystallization (DRX) and grain refinement, whereas high strain rates suppress DRX due to dislocation accumulation. Whereas, at super-solvus temperatures (1180-1200 °C), the γ′ phase was completely dissolved, and during the thermal compression within the applied strain rate range the alloy underwent complete DRX, and the grain size increases significantly with the rising temperature and decreasing strain rate. Due to the effective pinning effect of the dispersed MC carbides to the grain boundaries, resulting in the enhancement of microstructural uniformity of the alloy. These findings provide meaningful reference for optimizing hot working parameters of GH4151 superalloy to prevent abnormal grain growth or initial melting defects, thereby enhancing its service reliability.

Key words:  synthesizing and processing technics for materials      nickel-based superalloy      hot deformation      microstructure evolution      high strength     
Received:  01 April 2025     
ZTFLH:  TG113  
Fund: National Science and Technology Major Project(J2019-VI-0006-0120);National Science and Technology Major Project(2024ZD0600600);National Science and Technology Major Project(2024ZD0600500);Science and Technology Major Project of Liaoning Province(2024JH1/11700037);Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDC0140000);Youth Innovation Promotion Association, CAS(2023202);Natural Science Foundation Project of Liaoning Province(2023-MS-024)
Corresponding Authors:  ZHANG Rui, Tel: 18540171193, E-mail: rzhang@imr.ac.cn

URL: 

https://www.cjmr.org/EN/10.11901/1005.3093.2025.128     OR     https://www.cjmr.org/EN/Y2026/V40/I3/169

Fig.1  Initial microstructure of GH4151 alloy (a) cross section, (b) longitudinal section
Fig.2  Thermal equilibrium phase diagram of the studied GH4151 alloy
Fig.3  Deformed samples of the studied GH4151 alloy with different conditions
Fig.4  True stress-strain curves of the studied GH4151 alloy at different strain rates (a) 0.001 s-1, (b) 0.01 s-1, (c) 0.1 s-1, (d) 1 s-1
Fig.5  Microstructure of the studied GH4151 alloy after deformation at γ′ sub-solvus temperatures
Fig.6  Microstructure of the studied GH4151 alloy after deformation at γ′ super-solvus temperatures
Fig.7  KAM diagram of deformed samples at different strain rates at 1120 oC (a) 0.1 s-1, (b) 0.01 s-1, (c) 0.001 s-1
Fig.8  KAM diagram of the deformed sample under different temperature conditions at a strain rate of 0.1 s-1 (a) 1140 oC, (b) 1160 oC, (c) 1200 oC
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