Relationships between Microstructural Parameters and Time-Dependent Mechanical Properties of a New Nickel-Based Superalloy AD730™
High temperature creep and dwell-fatigue properties of the new nickel-based superalloy AD730™ have been investigated. Three microstructures have been studied in creep (850 °C and 700 °C) and dwell-fatigue (700 °C stress control with trapezoidal signals, and dwell times ranging from 1 s to 3600 s): a coarse grains microstructure, a fine grains one, and single crystalline samples. The aim of this study is to assess the influence of the grain size on creep and creep-fatigue properties. It is demonstrated that fine and coarse grains microstructures perform similarly in creep at 700 °C, showing that the creep properties at this temperature are controlled by the intragranular precipitation. Moreover, both the coarse grains and the fine grains microstructures show changes in creep deformation mechanisms depending on the applied stress in creep at 700 °C. At higher creep temperatures, the coarse grains microstructure performs better and almost no effect is observed by suppressing grain boundaries. During dwell-fatigue tests at 700 °C, a clear effect of the mechanical cycling has been evidenced on the time to failure on both the coarse and the fine grains microstructures. At high applied stresses, a beneficial effect of the cyclic unloading to the lifetime has been observed whereas at lower applied stresses, mechanical cycling is detrimental compared to the pure creep lifetime due to the development of a fatigue damage. Complex creep-fatigue interactions are hence clearly evidenced and they depend on the pure creep behavior reference.
Induced creep and creep/fatigue of a nickel-base superalloy at ambient temperatures
The stress controlled fatigue of Nimonic*115, a typical γ’-strengthened nickel-base superalloy, was studied at ambient temperature, using a trapezoidal wave form at 1 Hz, with stresses chosen to produce failure in the lO4 to lO4 cycle range. In tests with maximum stress greater than the proportional limit, most of the fatigue damage occurs within the first few test cycles. Much of this strain is accumulated under static load and is therefore identified as creep strain. Transmission electron microscopy shows that these creep strains occur in slip bands which disrupt the ordered γ’ precipitates. Strain is found to follow a logarithmic time dependence, which suggests a low activation energy mechanism.
Calyculins and Related Marine Natural Products as Serine-Threonine Protein Phosphatase PP1 and PP2A Inhibitors and Total Syntheses of Calyculin A, B, and C
Calyculins, highly cytotoxic polyketides, originally isolated from the marine sponge Discodermia calyx by Fusetani and co-workers, belong to the lithistid sponges group. These molecules have become interesting targets for cell biologists and synthetic organic chemists. The serine/threonine protein phosphatases play an essential role in the cellular signalling, metabolism, and cell cycle control. Calyculins express potent protein phosphatase 1 and 2A inhibitory activity, and have therefore become valuable tools for cellular biologists studying intracellular processes and their control by reversible phosphorylation. Calyculins might also play an important role in the development of several diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and type 2-diabetes mellitus. The fascinating structures of calyculins have inspired various groups of synthetic organic chemists to develop total syntheses of the most abundant calyculins A and C. However, with fifteen chiral centres, a cyano-capped tetraene unit, a phosphate-bearing spiroketal, an anti, anti, anti dipropionate segment, an α-chiral oxazole, and a trihydroxylated γ-amino acid, calyculins reach versatility that only few natural products can surpass, and truly challenge modern chemists’ asymmetric synthesis skills.