Enhanced superalloys by zirconium addition

A Hf-containing, gamma prime nickel-based superalloy, comprising:

• about 10 wt % to about 22 wt % cobalt;
• about 9 wt % to about 14 wt % chromium;
• 0 wt % to about 10 wt % tantalum;
• about 2 wt % to about 6 wt % aluminum;
• about 2 wt % to about 6 wt % titanium;
• about 1.5 wt % to about 6 wt % tungsten;
• about 1.5 wt % to about 5.5 wt % molybdenum;
• 0 wt % to about 3.5 wt % niobium;
• about 0.01 wt % to about 1.0 wt % hafnium;
• about 0.02 wt % to about 0.1 wt % carbon;
• about 0.01 wt % to about 0.4 wt % boron;
• about 0.15 wt % to about 1.3 wt % zirconium;
• and
• the balance nickel and impurities, wherein the alloy includes cellular precipitates that are predominantly located at grain boundaries of the alloy and includes finer gamma prime precipitates than the cellular precipitates, and wherein the cellular precipitates define gamma prime arms that distort the grain boundaries at which they are located, and wherein the finer gamma prime precipitates are cuboidal or spherical, and further wherein the alloy contains about 5 to about 12 volume percent of the cellular precipitates and/or about 43 to about 50 volume percent of the finer gamma prime precipitates.

A Hf-containing, gamma prime nickel-based superalloy, consisting of:

• about 10 wt % to about 22 wt % cobalt;
• about 9 wt % to about 14 wt % chromium;
• 4.6 wt % to about 5.6 wt % tantalum;
• about 2 wt % to about 6 wt % aluminum;
• about 2 wt % to about 6 wt % titanium;
• about 1.5 wt % to about 6 wt % tungsten;
• about 1.5 wt % to about 5.5 wt % molybdenum;
• 0 wt % to about 3.5 wt % niobium;
• about 0.01 wt % to about 1.0 wt % hafnium;
• about 0.02 wt % to about 0.1 wt % carbon;
• about 0.01 wt % to about 0.4 wt % boron;
• about 0.15 wt % to about 1.3 wt % zirconium;
• and
• the balance nickel and impurities.

A gamma prime nickel-based superalloy, comprising:

• 0 wt % to about 21 wt % cobalt;
• about 10 wt % to about 30 wt % chromium;
• 0 wt % to about 4 wt % tantalum;
• 0.1 wt % to about 5 wt % aluminum;
• 0.1 wt % to about 10 wt % titanium;
• 0 wt % to about 14 wt % tungsten;
• 0 wt % to about 15 wt % molybdenum;
• 0 wt % to about 40 wt % iron;
• 0 wt % to about 1 wt % manganese;
• 0 wt % to about 1 wt % silicon;
• 0 wt % to about 5 wt % niobium;
• 0 wt % to about 0.01 wt % hafnium;
• 0 wt % to about 0.35 wt % carbon;
• 0 wt % to about 0.35 wt % boron;
• about 0.25 wt % to about 1.3 wt % zirconium;
• and
• the balance nickel and impurities,
• wherein the gamma prime nickel-based superalloy includes at least 4 wt % of a combined amount of aluminum and titanium, and wherein the gamma prime nickel-based superalloy includes tungsten, niobium, or a mixture thereof, wherein the alloy includes cellular precipitates that are predominantly located at grain boundaries of the alloy, and wherein the cellular precipitates define gamma prime arms that distort the grain boundaries at which they are located.