(Press-News.org) Contact information: Dr. Nelia Wanderka
wanderka@helmholtz-berlin.de
49-308-062-42079
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie
What makes superalloys super -- hierarchical microstructure of a superalloy
Researchers have observed for the first time in detail how a hierarchical microstructure develops during heat treatment of a superalloy
  This news release is available in German.    	
Doctoral student Florian Vogel and Dr. Nelia Wanderka from the HZB Institute of Applied Materials have elegantly combined two methods to accomplish this: transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atom probe tomography (APT), which they carried out in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Münster.
	
They were interested in a phase separation phenomenon that has been known for around 50 years, but could neither be precisely observed nor understood until now: The microstructure of nickel-based alloys changes under controlled ageing or heat treatment and in the classical two-phase microstructure new phases are initially formed. Wanderka and Vogel were able to precisely observe the phase separation process on the atomic scale for the first time.
	
To do so, they simulated the ageing process of the alloy by heat treating it for different periods. They documented how the microstructure changed during the ageing of the alloy using micrographs from the transmission electron microscope. Whereas the classical two-phase microstructure consists of cuboid γ' precipitates embedded in a so called γ-matrix, during heat treatment, spherical γ particles initially form in the γ' precipitates of the alloy, then further coalesce into plates that finally split the γ' precipitates. The thermo-mechanical properties of these types of alloys depend largely on the stability of this γ/γ´ microstructure.
	
In order to determine the atomic constituents of the individual phases, but primarily to learn about the formation and make-up of the poorly understood γ particle, Vogel and Wanderka investigated the aged samples using atom probe tomography at the University of Münster. They succeeded in reconstructing the atomic lattice of the samples layer by layer and determining the composition of all phases, so that they could explain the chemical evolution of the γ particles.
	
"Until now, it was assumed that splitting of the γ' precipitates refines the microstructure during ageing, which would be beneficial for the alloy's stability under thermo-mechanical load. We were able to show that this is not correct. The microstructure indeed changes considerably, but it is not improved by the splitting however. We were actually able to correlate the best mechanical properties with the presence of spherical or plate-like γ particles and not with the later stages after splitting of the γ' precipitates has taken place", explains Florian Vogel. Nelia Wanderka adds: "If we want to improve the stability of the microstructure and thus the thermomechanical properties of the alloy, we need to be sure that the γ' precipitates are not split by the γ particles, but instead remain intact through appropriate heat treatment and composition of the alloy. Atom probe tomography helps us in understanding the role of the alloying elements in the formation and growth of the γ particles. From this, we can learn how to influence these processes."
INFORMATION:
What makes superalloys super -- hierarchical microstructure of a superalloy
Researchers have observed for the first time in detail how a hierarchical microstructure develops during heat treatment of a superalloy
2014-01-14
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
What your candles and TV screen have in common
2014-01-14
What your candles and TV screen have in common
New research finding will be of value to the plastics industry
	The next time you light a candle and switch on your television ready for a relaxing evening at home, just think.  These two vastly different ...
Study: CT scans could bolster forensic database to ID unidentified remains
2014-01-14
Study: CT scans could bolster forensic database to ID unidentified remains
	A study from North Carolina State University finds that data from CT scans can be incorporated into a growing forensic database to help determine the ancestry and sex of unidentified ...
Fish derived serum omega-3 fatty acids help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes
2014-01-14
Fish derived serum omega-3 fatty acids help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes
	High concentrations of serum long-chain omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a University of Eastern Finland study published recently ...
Mindfulness helps undergraduates stay on track
2014-01-14
Mindfulness helps undergraduates stay on track
UM researchers find that mindfulness training significantly reduces mind wandering in college students, promoting learning and improving academic achievement
	Coral Gables, Fla. (Jan. 13, 2014) -- Few situations ...
New breast cancer stem cell findings explain how cancer spreads
2014-01-14
New breast cancer stem cell findings explain how cancer spreads
Researchers identify 2 types of cancer stem cells; both necessary to create metastasis
	
	ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Breast cancer stem cells exist in two different states and each state plays ...
American Chemical Society podcast: Small dams create greenhouse gas 'hot spots'
2014-01-14
American Chemical Society podcast: Small dams create greenhouse gas 'hot spots'
	The latest episode in the American Chemical Society's (ACS') award-winning Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions podcast series questions the "green" reputation of small hydroelectric ...
Short circuit in molecular switch intensifies pain
2014-01-14
Short circuit in molecular switch intensifies pain
	While searching for novel painkillers, researchers at KU Leuven in Belgium came to the surprising conclusion that some candidate drugs actually increase pain. In a study published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, ...
Younger people have 'high definition' memories
2014-01-14
Younger people have 'high definition' memories
Researchers look at age-related differences on how memories are stored and retrieved
	It's not that younger people are able to remember more than older people. Their memories seem better because they are able to retrieve ...
UNC researchers harness sun's energy during day for use at night
2014-01-14
UNC researchers harness sun's energy during day for use at night
	Solar energy has long been used as a clean alternative to fossil fuels such as coal and oil, but it could only be harnessed during the day when the sun's rays were strongest. ...
Regenstrief and IU review finds lack of delirium screening in the emergency department
2014-01-14
Regenstrief and IU review finds lack of delirium screening in the emergency department
	INDIANAPOLIS -- Delirium in older patients in an emergency room setting can foretell other health issues. But according to a new study published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Student's unexpected rise as a researcher leads to critical new insights into HPV
Ominous false alarm in the kidney
MSK Research Highlights, October 31, 2025
Lisbon to host world’s largest conference on ecosystem restoration in 2027, led by researcher from the Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon
Electrocatalysis with dual functionality – an overview
Scripps Research awarded $6.9 million by NIH to crack the code of lasting HIV vaccine protection
New post-hoc analysis shows patients whose clinicians had access to GeneSight results for depression treatment are more likely to feel better sooner
First transplant in pigs of modified porcine kidneys with human renal organoids
Reinforcement learning and blockchain: new strategies to secure the Internet of Medical Things
Autograph: A higher-accuracy and faster framework for compute-intensive programs
Expansion microscopy helps chart the planktonic universe
Small bat hunts like lions – only better
As Medicaid work requirements loom, U-M study finds links between coverage, better health and higher employment
Manifestations of structural racism and inequities in cardiovascular health across US neighborhoods
Prescribing trends of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists for type 2 diabetes or obesity
Continuous glucose monitoring frequency and glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes
Bimodal tactile tomography with bayesian sequential palpation for intracavitary microstructure profiling and segmentation
IEEE study reviews novel photonics breakthroughs of 2024
New method for intentional control of bionic prostheses
Obesity treatment risks becoming a ‘two-tier system’, researchers warn
Researchers discuss gaps, obstacles and solutions for contraception
Disrupted connectivity of the brainstem ascending reticular activating system nuclei-left parahippocampal gyrus could reveal mechanisms of delirium following basal ganglia intracerebral hemorrhage
Federated metadata-constrained iRadonMAP framework with mutual learning for all-in-one computed tomography imaging
‘Frazzled’ fruit flies help unravel how neural circuits stay wired
Improving care for life-threatening blood clots
Yonsei University develops a new era of high-voltage solid-state batteries
Underweight and unbalanced: Gut microbial diversity in underweight Japanese women
Astringent, sharper mind: Flavanols trigger brain activity for memory and stress response
New editorial urges clinicians to address sex-based disparities in sepsis treatment
Researchers at MIT develop new nanoparticles that stimulate the immune system to attack ovarian tumors
[Press-News.org] What makes superalloys super -- hierarchical microstructure of a superalloyResearchers have observed for the first time in detail how a hierarchical microstructure develops during heat treatment of a superalloy