US5439640A — Controlled thermal expansion superalloy

Claim 1

Independent Claim 136 words

A controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy consisting essentially of in weight percent, about 26-50% cobalt, about 20-40% nickel, about 20-35% iron, about 4-10% aluminum, about 0.5-5% total niobium plus 1/2 of tantalum weight percent, about 1.5-10% chromium, about 0-1% titanium, about 0-0.2% carbon, about 0-1% copper, about 0-2% manganese, about 0-2% silicon, about 0-8% molybdenum, about 0-8% tungsten, about 0-0.3% boron, about 0-2% hafnium, about 0-2% rhenium, about 0-0.3% zirconium, about 0-0.5% nitrogen, about 0-1% yttrium, about 0-1% lanthanum, about 0-1% total rare earths other than lanthanum, about 0-1% cerium, about 0-1% magnesium, about 0-1% calcium, about 0-4% oxidic dispersoid and incidental impurities and said controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy having a crack growth rate of less than 1×10 -4 mm/s at a stress intensity of 33 MPa√m at a temperature of 538° C.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 136 words

A controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy consisting essentially of in weight percent, about 26-50% cobalt, about 20-40% nickel, about 20-35% iron, about 4-10% aluminum, about 0.5-5% total niobium plus 1/2 of tantalum weight percent, about 1.5-10% chromium, about 0-1% titanium, about 0-0.2% carbon, about 0-1% copper, about 0-2% manganese, about 0-2% silicon, about 0-8% molybdenum, about 0-8% tungsten, about 0-0.3% boron, about 0-2% hafnium, about 0-2% rhenium, about 0-0.3% zirconium, about 0-0.5% nitrogen, about 0-1% yttrium, about 0-1% lanthanum, about 0-1% total rare earths other than lanthanum, about 0-1% cerium, about 0-1% magnesium, about 0-1% calcium, about 0-4% oxidic dispersoid and incidental impurities and said controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy having a crack growth rate of less than 1×10 -4 mm/s at a stress intensity of 33 MPa√m at a temperature of 538° C.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 30 words

The controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy of claim 1 wherein the cobalt content is about 28-45%, the nickel content is about 25-35% and the iron content is about 22-30%.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 17 words

The controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy of claim 1 wherein the aluminum content is about 4-8%.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 25 words

The controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy of claim 1 wherein the total of the niobium plus 1/2 of tantalum weight percent is about 1-4%.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 16 words

The controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy of claim 1 wherein the chromium is about 1.5-5%.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 24 words

The controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy of claim 1 wherein the titanium content is about 0-0.5% and the carbon content is about 0-0.1%.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 39 words

The controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy of claim 1 wherein the alloy has a body centered cubic beta phase arising from an annealing and intermediate temperature aging treatment and a gamma prime phase arising from an aging treatment.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 38 words

The controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy of claim 1 wherein the alloy has a static crack life of at least 10 hours from an initial stress intensity of 27 MPa √m at a temperature of 538° C.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 90 words

The controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy of claim 1 having at least a 690 MPa 0.2% yield strength at room temperature, an elongation at room temperature of at least 10%, at least a 590 MPa 0.2% yield strength at 704° C., an elongation of at least 15% at 704° C., at least 15 hours to 0.2% strain at 649° C. and 379 MPa, a Charpy V-notch impact energy at room temperature of at least 5 N.m and a 13.6 μm/m/°C. or less coefficient of thermal expansion at 649° C.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 156 words

A controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy consisting essentially of in weight percent, about 28-45% cobalt, about 25-35% nickel, about 22-30% iron, about 4-8% aluminum, about 1-4% total niobium plus 1/2 of tantalum weight percent, about 1.5-5% chromium, about 0-0.5% titanium, about 0-0.1% carbon, about 0-0.75% copper, about 0-1% manganese, about 0-1% silicon, total copper plus manganese plus silicon being less than about 1.5%, about 0-5% molybdenum, about 0-5% tungsten, total molybdenum plus tungsten being less than about 5%, about 0-0.05% boron, about 0-1% hafnium, about 0-1% rhenium, about 0-0.2% zirconium, about 0-0.3% nitrogen, about 0-0.5% yttrium, about 0-0.5% lanthanum, about 0-0.5% total rare earths other than lanthanum, about 0-0.5% cerium, about 0-0.5% magnesium, about 0-0.5% calcium, about 0- 3% oxidic dispersoid and incidental impurities and said controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy having crack growth rate of less than 1×10 -4 mm/s at a stress intensity of 33 MPa√m at a temperature of 538° C.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 156 words

A controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy consisting essentially of in weight percent, about 28-45% cobalt, about 25-35% nickel, about 22-30% iron, about 4-8% aluminum, about 1-4% total niobium plus 1/2 of tantalum weight percent, about 1.5-5% chromium, about 0-0.5% titanium, about 0-0.1% carbon, about 0-0.75% copper, about 0-1% manganese, about 0-1% silicon, total copper plus manganese plus silicon being less than about 1.5%, about 0-5% molybdenum, about 0-5% tungsten, total molybdenum plus tungsten being less than about 5%, about 0-0.05% boron, about 0-1% hafnium, about 0-1% rhenium, about 0-0.2% zirconium, about 0-0.3% nitrogen, about 0-0.5% yttrium, about 0-0.5% lanthanum, about 0-0.5% total rare earths other than lanthanum, about 0-0.5% cerium, about 0-0.5% magnesium, about 0-0.5% calcium, about 0- 3% oxidic dispersoid and incidental impurities and said controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy having crack growth rate of less than 1×10 -4 mm/s at a stress intensity of 33 MPa√m at a temperature of 538° C.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 30 words

The controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy of claim 10 wherein the cobalt content is about 30-38%, the nickel content is about 26-33% and the iron content is about 24-28%.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 17 words

The controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy of claim 10 wherein the aluminum content is about 4.8-6.0%.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 25 words

The controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy of claim 10 wherein the total of the niobium plus 1/2 of tantalum weight percent is about 2-3.5%.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 16 words

The controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy of claim 10 wherein the chromium is about 2-4%.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 39 words

The controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy of claim 10 wherein the alloy has a body centered cubic beta phase arising from an annealing and intermediate temperature aging treatment and a gamma prime phase arising from an aging treatment.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 38 words

The controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy of claim 10 wherein the alloy has a static crack life of at least 10 hours from an initial stress intensity of 27 MPa √m at a temperature of 538° C.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 90 words

The controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy of claim 10 having at least a 690 MPa 0.2% yield strength at room temperature, an elongation at room temperature of at least 10%, at least a 590 MPa 0.2% yield strength at 704° C., an elongation of at least 15% at 704° C., at least 15 hours to 0.2% strain at 649° C. and 379 MPa, a Charpy V-notch impact energy at room temperature of at least 5 N.m and a 12.33 μm/m/°C. or less coefficient of thermal expansion at 600° C.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 157 words

A controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy consisting essentially of in weight percent, about 30-38% cobalt, about 26-33 nickel, about 24-28% iron, about 4.8-6.0% aluminum, about 2-3.5% total niobium plus 1/2 of tantalum weight percent, about 2-4% chromium, about 0-0.2% titanium, about 0-0.05% carbon, about 0-0.5% copper, about 0.5% manganese, about 0.5% silicon, total copper plus manganese plus silicon being less than about 1%, about 0-3% molybdenum, about 0-3% tungsten, total molybdenum plus tungsten being less than about 5%, about 0-0.015% boron, about 0-0.5% hafnium, about 0-0.5% rhenium, about 0-0.1% zirconium, about 0-0.2% nitrogen, about 0-0.2% yttrium, about 0-0.2% lanthanum, about 0-0.2% total rare earths other than lanthanum, about 0-0.2% cerium, about 0-0.2% magnesium, about 0-0.2% calcium, about 0-2% oxidic dispersoid and incidental impurities and said controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy having a crack growth rate of less than 1×10 -4 mm/s at a stress intensity of 33 MPa √m and a temperature of 538° C.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 157 words

A controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy consisting essentially of in weight percent, about 30-38% cobalt, about 26-33 nickel, about 24-28% iron, about 4.8-6.0% aluminum, about 2-3.5% total niobium plus 1/2 of tantalum weight percent, about 2-4% chromium, about 0-0.2% titanium, about 0-0.05% carbon, about 0-0.5% copper, about 0.5% manganese, about 0.5% silicon, total copper plus manganese plus silicon being less than about 1%, about 0-3% molybdenum, about 0-3% tungsten, total molybdenum plus tungsten being less than about 5%, about 0-0.015% boron, about 0-0.5% hafnium, about 0-0.5% rhenium, about 0-0.1% zirconium, about 0-0.2% nitrogen, about 0-0.2% yttrium, about 0-0.2% lanthanum, about 0-0.2% total rare earths other than lanthanum, about 0-0.2% cerium, about 0-0.2% magnesium, about 0-0.2% calcium, about 0-2% oxidic dispersoid and incidental impurities and said controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy having a crack growth rate of less than 1×10 -4 mm/s at a stress intensity of 33 MPa √m and a temperature of 538° C.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 63 words

The controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy of claim 18 wherein the alloy has a static crack life of at least 20 hours from an initial stress intensity of 27 MPa ¢m at a temperature of 538° C., a body centered cubic beta phase arising from an annealing and intermediate temperature aging treatment and a gamma prime phase arising from an aging treatment.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 115 words

The controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy of claim 18 having at least a 825 MPa 0.2% yield strength at room temperature, an elongation at room temperature of at least 10%, at least a 590 MPa 0.2% yield strength at 704° C., an elongation of at least 15% at 704° C., at least 15 hours to 0.2% strain at 649° C. and 379 MPa, a Charpy V-notch impact energy at room temperature of at least 10 N. m, a crack growth rate of less than 5×10 -5 mm/s at a stress intensity of 33 MPa √m and a temperature of 538° C. and a 12.85 μm/m/°C. or less coefficient of thermal expansion at 649° C.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 15 words

The controlled coefficient of thermal expansion alloy of claim 18 wherein said alloy is cast.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1998-08-07	1999-02-06	1999-08-08	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2002-08-07	2003-02-06	2003-08-08	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2006-08-07	2007-02-06	2007-08-08	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Controlled thermal expansion superalloy

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