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A three-day symposium on Beyond Nickel Based Superalloys, held during the 2004 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition in Charlotte, North Carolina, explored material developments for high-temperature applications above the current temperature limit of nickel-based superalloys. The symposium was organized by J.H. Schneibel, D.U. Furrer, D.A. Hardwick, M. Janousek, Y. Mishima, J.A. Shields, RF. Tortorelli, and the current author. It was sponsored by the Structural Materials Division (SMD), the SMD High Temperature Alloys Committee and Refractory Metals Committee, as well as the SMD's joint ASM International-Materials Science Critical Technology Corrosion and Environmental Effects Committee and Mechanical Behavior of Materials Committee.
Material developments for hot sections have made extensive contributions to performance improvements of gas turbines. The current state of the art in nickel-based superalloy metallurgy reflects these developments. The increased efficiency associated with higher operating temperatures in gas turbines has driven designers to search for new materials that can be used at higher temperatures. Metal surface temperatures at the hottest locations in advanced turbine engines now approach 1,150°C, which is essentially...