# US 2021/0340644 A1 · Ni-Based Alloy Softened Powder and Method for Manufacturing Same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0340644 A1 - Document ID: US20210340644A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/623,897 - Filed: 2019-02-04 - Published: 2021-11-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-11-30 - Assignees: Mitsubishi Power, Ltd. - Applicants: Mitsubishi Power, Ltd. - Inventors: Atsuo OTA; Shinya IMANO - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210340644A1 ## CPC - B22F 1/05: Metallic powder characterised by the size or surface area of the particles - B22F 1/142: Thermal or thermo-mechanical treatment - C22C 19/055: {with the maximum Cr content being at least 20% but less than 30%} - C22C 19/056: {with the maximum Cr content being at least 10% but less than 20%} - C22C 19/057: {with the maximum Cr content being less 10%} - C22F 1/10: of nickel or cobalt or alloys based thereon - B22F 5/04: of turbine blades - B22F 9/10: using centrifugal force - B22F 2998/10: Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps - B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy - B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER - C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F) - C22F: CHANGING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF NON-FERROUS METALS AND NON-FERROUS ALLOYS (surface treatment of metallic material involving at least one process provided for in class C23 and at least one process covered by this subclass, C23F17/00) ## Abstract An objective of the invention is to provide an Ni-based alloy softened powder that is formed of a high precipitation-strengthened Ni-based alloy material, has better forming/molding processability than ever before, and is suitable for powder metallurgy. The Ni-based alloy softened powder has a chemical composition allowing γ′ phase precipitated in γ phase as a matrix to have an equilibrium precipitation amount of 30-80 volume % at 700° C., has an average particle size of 5-500 μm, and includes particles comprising a polycrystalline body of fine crystals of the γ phase. The γ′ phase is precipitated on grain boundaries of the γ phase fine crystals in an amount of 20 volume % or more. And, the particles have a Vickers hardness of 370 Hv or less at room temperature. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An Ni-based alloy softened powder, having a chemical composition allowing γ′ phase precipitated in γ phase as a matrix to have an equilibrium precipitation amount of 30 volume % or more and 80 volume % or less at 700° C., the softened powder having an average particle size of 5 μm or more and 500 μm or less, the softened powder comprising particles comprising a polycrystalline body of fine crystals of the γ phase, the γ′ phase being precipitated on grain boundaries of the fine crystals of the γ phase in an amount of 20 volume % or more, the particles having a Vickers hardness of 370 Hv or less at room temperature. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The Ni-based alloy softened powder according to claim 1, wherein the chemical composition comprises: 5 mass % or more and 25 mass % or less of Cr; more than 0 mass % and 30 mass % or less of Co; 1 mass % or more and 8 mass % or less of Al; the total amount of Ti, Nb and/or Ta being 1 mass % or more and 10 mass % or less; 10 mass % or less of Fe; 10 mass % or less of Mo; 8 mass % or less of W; 0.1 mass % or less of Zr; 0.1 mass % or less of B; 0.2 mass % or less of C; 2 mass % or less of Hf; 5 mass % or less of Re; 0.003 mass % or more and 0.05 mass % or less of O; and a balance being Ni and inevitable impurities. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The Ni-based alloy softened powder according to claim 1, wherein the chemical composition is a chemical composition that allows the γ′ phase to have a solvus temperature of 1,100° C. or higher. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The Ni-based alloy softened powder according to claim 3, wherein the Ni-based alloy softened powder has a chemical composition that allows the γ′ phase to have the equilibrium precipitation amount of 45 volume % or more and 80 volume % or less at 700° C. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The Ni-based alloy softened powder according to claim 1, wherein the particles have a Vickers hardness of 350 Hv or less at room temperature. ### Claim 6 A method for manufacturing an Ni-based alloy softened powder having a chemical composition allowing γ′ phase precipitated in γ phase as a matrix to have an equilibrium precipitation amount of 30 volume % or more and 80 volume % or less at 700° C., the softened powder having an average particle size of 5 μm or more and 500 μm or less, the softened powder comprising particles comprising a polycrystalline body of fine crystals of the γ phase, the particles having a Vickers hardness of 370 Hv or less at room temperature, the method comprising: a precursor powder preparation step of preparing a precursor powder that has the chemical composition and comprises particles comprising a polycrystalline body of fine crystals of the γ phase; and a powder softening high temperature and slow cooling heat treatment step of subjecting the precursor powder to a high temperature and slow cooling heat treatment in which the precursor powder is heated to a temperature that is equal to or higher than the solvus temperature of the γ′ phase and lower than the melting point of the γ phase to cause the γ′ phase to enter into solid solution in the γ phase and subsequently cooled slowly from this temperature to a temperature lower than the solvus temperature of the γ′ phase at a cooling rate of 100° C./h or less to produce the Ni-based softened powder in which the γ′ phase is precipitated on grain boundaries of the fine crystals of the γ phase in an amount of 20 volume % or more. ### Claim 7 A method for manufacturing an Ni-based alloy softened powder having a chemical composition allowing γ′ phase precipitated in γ phase as a matrix to have an equilibrium precipitation amount of 30 volume % or more and 80 volume % or less at 700° C., the softened powder having an average particle size of 5 μm or more and 500 μm or less, the softened powder comprising particles comprising a polycrystalline body of fine crystals of the γ phase, the particles having a Vickers hardness of 370 Hv or less at room temperature, the method comprising: a single-phase precursor powder preparation step of preparing a single-phase precursor powder that has the chemical composition and comprises particles comprising a polycrystalline body of single-phase fine crystals of the γ phase; and a powder softening sub-high temperature and slow cooling heat treatment step of subjecting the single-phase precursor powder to a sub-high temperature and slow cooling heat treatment in which the single-phase precursor powder is heated to a temperature that is equal to or higher than a temperature 80° C. lower than the solvus temperature of the γ′ phase and lower than the solvus temperature and cooled slowly from this temperature at a cooling rate of 100° C./h or less to produce the Ni-based softened powder in which the γ′ phase is precipitated on grain boundaries of the single-phase fine crystals of the γ phase in an amount of 20 volume % or more. ### Claim 8 A method for manufacturing an Ni-based alloy softened powder having a chemical composition allowing γ′ phase precipitated in γ phase as a matrix to have an equilibrium precipitation amount of 30 volume % or more and 80 volume % or less at 700° C., the softened powder having an average particle size of 5 μm or more and 500 μm or less, the softened powder comprising particles comprising a polycrystalline body of fine crystals of the γ phase, the particles having a Vickers hardness of 370 Hv or less at room temperature, the method comprising: a single-phase precursor powder preparation step of preparing a single-phase precursor powder that has the chemical composition and comprises particles comprising a polycrystalline body of single-phase fine crystals of the γ phase; and a powder softening high temperature and slow cooling heat treatment step of subjecting the precursor powder to a high temperature and slow cooling heat treatment in which the single-phase precursor powder is heated to a temperature that is equal to or higher than the solvus temperature of the γ′ phase and lower than the melting point of the γ phase and subsequently cooled slowly from this temperature to a temperature lower than the solvus temperature of the γ′ phase at a cooling rate of 100° C./h or less to produce the Ni-based softened powder in which the γ′ phase is precipitated on grain boundaries of the single-phase fine crystals of the γ phase in an amount of 20 volume % or more. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method for manufacturing an Ni-based alloy softened powder according to claim 6, wherein the chemical composition comprises: 5 mass % or more and 25 mass % or less of Cr; more than 0 mass % and 30 mass % or less of Co; 1 mass % or more and 8 mass % or less of Al; the total amount of Ti, Nb and/or Ta being 1 mass % or more and 10 mass % or less; 10 mass % or less of Fe; 10 mass % or less of Mo; 8 mass % or less of W; 0.1 mass % or less of Zr; 0.1 mass % or less of B; 0.2 mass % or less of C; 2 mass % or less of Hf; 5 mass % or less of Re; 0.003 mass % or more and 0.05 mass % or less of O; and a balance being Ni and inevitable impurities. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method for manufacturing an Ni-based alloy softened powder according to claim 6, wherein the precursor powder preparation step comprises an atomization sub-step. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The method for manufacturing an Ni-based alloy softened powder according to claim 6, wherein the chemical composition is a chemical composition that allows the γ′ phase to have a solvus temperature of 1,100° C. or higher. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method for manufacturing an Ni-based alloy softened powder according to claim 11, wherein the Ni-based alloy softened powder has a chemical composition that allows the γ′ phase to have an equilibrium precipitation amount of 45 volume % or more and 80 volume % or less at 700° C. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) The method for manufacturing an Ni-based alloy softened powder according to claim 6, wherein the particles have a Vickers hardness of 350 Hv or less at room temperature. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The method for manufacturing an Ni-based alloy softened powder according to claim 7, wherein the single-phase precursor powder preparation step comprises an atomization sub-step. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The method for manufacturing an Ni-based alloy softened powder according to claim 8, wherein the single-phase precursor powder preparation step comprises an atomization sub-step.