Method, alloy and component

1. Method for heat treating a nickel base alloy, comprising the steps of:

a) heating a nickel base alloy to at least its delta (δ) phase solvus temperature, and lower than its incipient melting temperature for a predetermined time sufficient to dissolve substantially all of the nickel base alloy's delta (δ) phase, and

b) cooling the nickel base alloy to a temperature below the gamma prime (γ1) precipitation temperature at a rate sufficient to precipitate the alloy's chromium carbide and gamma prime (γ1) in a serrated grain boundary.

wherein the nickel base alloy has the following composition in weight- %:

Cr 17-21

C 0.01-0.05

Mn max 0.35

Si max 0.35

P 0.004-0.020

S max 0.0025

Mo 2.5-3.1

Nb 5.2-5.8

Ti 0.5-1

Al 1.2-1.7

Co 8-10

W 0.8-1.4

B 0.003-0.008

Cu max 0.3

Fe 8-10

balance Ni and normally occurring impurities.

2. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the nickel base alloy is cooled at a rate of 1.0° C. per minute or less in step b).

3. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the nickel base alloy is cooled at a rate of 0.7° C. per minute or less in step b).

4. Method according to claim 1 wherein the nickel base alloy is cooled at a rate of 0.5° C. per minute or less in step b).

5. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the nickel base alloy is cooled at a rate of 0.05° C. per minute or higher in step b).

6. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the nickel base alloy is cooled at a rate of 0.1° C. per minute or higher in step b).

7. Method according to claim 1 , comprising the step of heating the nickel base alloy to a temperature of 1040° C.±14° C. in step a).

8. A method according to claim 1 , comprising the step of holding the nickel base alloy at the heated temperature for 0.4to 0.8hour in step a).

9. Method according to claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of:

heating the alloy at an aging temperature below the solvus temperatures for the gamma prime phase and the gamma double prime phase to form secondary precipitates of the gamma prime and gamma double prime phase.

10. A method according to claim 9 , comprising the step of cooling the nickel base alloy to a temperature of 704° C. ±14° C. in the step of heating the alloy at the aging temperature.

11. A method according to claim 9 , comprising the step of holding the nickel base alloy at the first aging temperature for about 8 hours in the step of heating the alloy at the aging temperature.

12. Method for heat treating a nickel base alloy, comprising the steps of:

a) heating a nickel base alloy to at least its delta (δ) phase solvus temperature, and lower than its incipient melting temperature for a predetermined time sufficient to dissolve substantially all of the nickel base alloy's delta (δ) phase, and

b) cooling the nickel base alloy to a temperature below the gamma prime (γ1) precipitation temperature at a rate sufficient to precipitate the alloy's chromium carbide and gamma prime (γ1) in a serrated grain boundary

c) heating the nickel based alloy at a first aging temperature below the solvus temperatures for the gamma prime phase and the gamma double prime phase to form primary precipitates of the gamma prime and gamma double prime phase.

13. A method according to claim 12 , comprising the step of heating the nickel base alloy to a temperature of 788° C.±14° C. in step c).

14. A method according to claim 12 , comprising the step of holding the nickel base alloy at the first aging temperature for about 8 hours in step c).

15. Method for heat treating a nickel base alloy, comprising:

heating a nickel base alloy to at least its delta (δ) phase solvus temperature, and lower than its incipient melting temperature for a predetermined time sufficient to dissolve substantially all of the nickel base alloy's delta (δ) phase, and

cooling the nickel base alloy to a temperature below the gamma prime (γ1) precipitation temperature at a rate sufficient to precipitate the alloy's chromium carbide and gamma prime (γ1) in a serrated grain boundary, and

cooling the nickel base alloy to a temperature of 650° C. ±14° C. in step b).