High frequency fatigue test of IN 718 alloy – microstructure and fractography evaluation

INCONEL alloy 718 is a high-strength, corrosion-resistant nickel chromium material used at -253 °C to 705 °C for production of heat resistant parts of aero jet engine mostly. The fatigue test provided on this kind materials were done via low frequency loading up to this time. Nowadays, needs of results at higher volume of loading cycles leads to high frequency loading with aim to shorten testing time. Fatigue test of experimental material was carried out at frequency 20 kHz with stress ration R = - 1 (push – pull) at room temperature. It was found that this superalloy can still fracture after exceeding 108 cycles. Besides fatigue test were microstructural characterisation and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) fractography evaluation done.