Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 February 2011
Prealloyed powders of NiAl, NiAl-5Ti, NiAl-5Nb and NiAl-5Ti-5Nb (at.%) were gas atomized with an average particle size of 90 μm and cooling rates of > 104 K/s. The powders were attritor milled under Ar atmosphere reducing the average particle size to 1.5 μm. Sintering CIP compacts developed microstructure and density distributions, which allowed subsequent containerless HIPing to near full density (>98.5%) and a final grain size < 8 μm. Alloying of NiAl with 5at.% Nb or Ti increased its hardness, Young's modulus, toughness and creep resistance. The room temperature fracture path changed from primarily intergranular (NiAl) to primarily transgranular (Nb, Ti alloyed), increasing the Klc, values from 3.8 to 14.4 and 15.3 MPa√m, respectively. For comparison, HIPed materials from the as-atomized powders were also tested.