Fatigue crack growth behavior of Alloy 247DS brazed joints at high temperatures

Gas turbine components made of nickel-based alloys can be repaired through diffusion brazing. However, process-induced imperfections, defects within the brazing zone, and material property mismatches between the braze alloy and base material may facilitate crack initiation and propagation, ultimately leading to early component failure. To gain insight into the crack growth mechanism and quantitatively characterize fatigue crack growth behavior within brazing zones, fatigue crack growth (FCG) experiments were conducted on brazed joint specimens of nickel-based alloy Alloy 247DS at a temperature of 950 °C and a stress ratio R = 0.1. The FCG tests were complemented by fractographic and microstructural analyses, to elucidate the relationship between crack growth mechanisms and the microstructure of the brazed joint. The results demonstrate stable crack propagation within the brazing zone and the nickel-based braze alloy. The latter contains brittle eutectic boride phases and intermetallic phases that reduce the resistance to crack propagation compared to the parent material. This study demonstrates the applicability of standard FCG experimental procedures to fusion zones, thereby enabling a preliminary understanding of crack growth behavior in brazing zones.