Nimonic 90
About Nimonic 90 Superalloy
Name and Equivalent Name
Nimonic 90, also known as Nickel-Chromium-Cobalt Alloy 90, is identified by UNS N07090 and meets several standards, including ASTM B637, DIN/EN 2.4632 (NiCr20Co18TiAl), GB/T 14992 (GH4038), AMS 5829, and ISO 15156. This alloy is widely used for high-performance applications in extreme environments.
Nimonic 90 Basic Introduction
Nimonic 90 is a high-performance nickel-based superalloy designed for extreme environments that demand mechanical strength and thermal stability. This alloy provides excellent creep resistance, fatigue strength, and corrosion resistance, ensuring long service life in high-temperature environments.
Primarily used in aerospace, power generation, and chemical industries, Nimonic 90 can maintain mechanical integrity at temperatures up to 920°C. Its high fatigue and creep rupture resistance make it a reliable material for turbine blades, exhaust valves, and jet engine components.
Alternative Superalloys of Nimonic 90
Nimonic 90's alternatives include Inconel 718 for applications requiring higher corrosion resistance. Nimonic 80A offers similar thermal stability but with slightly lower tensile strength. Waspaloy is an excellent choice for applications with severe temperature fluctuations.
Hastelloy X provides superior oxidation resistance for extreme environments, while Rene 41 can be used when both creep and fatigue resistance are critical. Material selection depends on the specific operational requirements of the industry.
Nimonic 90 Design Intention
Nimonic 90 is designed to offer high-temperature mechanical strength, creep resistance, and corrosion resistance. The combination of nickel, chromium, and cobalt allows the alloy to retain its properties under high thermal loads, ensuring durability and minimal deformation.
This alloy is intended for use in components exposed to severe thermal stress, such as turbine blades, valves, and jet engines. Adding aluminum and titanium facilitates precipitation hardening, enhancing mechanical strength and performance at elevated temperatures.
Nimonic 90 Chemical Composition
The chemical composition of Nimonic 90 ensures a balance between strength, oxidation resistance, and thermal stability, with aluminum contributing to precipitation hardening and chromium enhancing corrosion resistance.
Element | Composition (%) |
|---|---|
Nickel (Ni) | Balance |
Chromium (Cr) | 18.0 – 21.0 |
Titanium (Ti) | 2.0 – 2.5 |
Aluminum (Al) | 1.0 – 1.8 |
Cobalt (Co) | 15.0 – 21.0 |
Nimonic 90 Physical Properties
Nimonic 90’s physical properties make it highly reliable for high-temperature applications, ensuring structural stability and resistance to thermal fatigue.
Property | Value |
|---|---|
Density | 8.19 g/cm³ |
Melting Point | 1330°C |
Thermal Conductivity | 11.2 W/(m·K) |
Modulus of Elasticity | 205 GPa |
Metallographic Structure of Nimonic 90 Superalloy
Nimonic 90 has a face-centered cubic (FCC) crystal structure, common among nickel-based superalloys. The alloy's presence of aluminum and titanium promotes precipitation hardening by forming gamma prime (γ') phases, enhancing the alloy’s strength and creep resistance.
The alloy maintains its microstructural stability even under long-term exposure to high temperatures, preventing grain boundary sliding. This feature ensures that Nimonic 90 retains its mechanical properties in critical applications, such as jet engines and turbines, throughout its service life.
Nimonic 90 Mechanical Properties
Nimonic 90 offers excellent mechanical strength and thermal fatigue resistance, ensuring high performance under extreme stress and temperature conditions.
Property | Value |
|---|---|
Tensile Strength | 1040 – 1200 MPa |
Yield Strength | 690 – 850 MPa |
Hardness | Rockwell C35-45 |
Elongation | 15 – 25% |
Elastic Modulus | ~210 GPa |
Creep Strength | Excellent at 920°C |
Creep Rupture Life | >10,000 hours at 920°C |
Fatigue Strength | ~400 – 450 MPa |
Key Features of Nimonic 90 Superalloy
High-Temperature Strength Nimonic 90 retains its mechanical strength up to 920°C, making it ideal for aerospace and energy components exposed to high thermal loads, such as turbine blades and exhaust systems.
Creep and Fatigue Resistance The alloy offers excellent resistance to creep deformation and fatigue failure, ensuring reliable performance over extended periods in demanding environments.
Oxidation and Corrosion Resistance The high chromium and cobalt content of Nimonic 90 provides superior resistance to oxidation and corrosion, making it suitable for high-temperature chemical environments.
Thermal Fatigue Resistance Nimonic 90 performs exceptionally well under cyclic thermal conditions, reducing the risk of fatigue-induced failures in jet engines and exhaust valves.
Precipitation Hardening The addition of aluminum and titanium enables precipitation hardening, increasing the alloy’s strength and making it suitable for use in high-stress, high-temperature applications.
Nimonic 90 Superalloy’s Machinability
Nimonic 90 is ideal for Vacuum Investment Casting due to its high thermal stability and ability to produce precise, complex shapes for aerospace components.
It is not suited for Single Crystal Casting, as it lacks the microstructure required for forming single-crystal components used in advanced turbine engines.
Nimonic 90 performs well in Equiaxed Crystal Casting, offering isotropic mechanical properties suitable for high-temperature components like valves and turbine blades.
The alloy is also compatible with Superalloy Directional Casting, improving mechanical strength by aligning grain structures along the stress axis.
Nimonic 90 is not recommended for Powder Metallurgy Turbine Disc production, as its properties are optimized for casting and forging.
It works well with Superalloy Precision Forging, delivering high strength and creep resistance, especially for aerospace applications.
Due to its high melting point, Nimonic 90 is unsuitable for Superalloy 3D Printing, as it challenges additive manufacturing processes.
The alloy offers excellent machinability in CNC Machining, enabling the production of high-precision components with minimal wear.
Nimonic 90 is suitable for Superalloy Welding, but precise techniques are required to avoid cracking due to its high chromium and cobalt content.
It performs exceptionally well in Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP), which improves fatigue resistance and mechanical properties by eliminating internal voids.
Nimonic 90 Superalloy Applications
In Aerospace and Aviation, Nimonic 90 is used in turbine blades, exhaust systems, and jet engines, where high-temperature performance and creep resistance are critical.
For Power Generation, Nimonic 90 ensures reliability in gas turbines, heat exchangers, and industrial boilers operating under thermal stress.
In the Oil and Gas industry, the alloy is used in high-temperature valves, pipelines, and drilling tools, ensuring durability under extreme conditions.
Nimonic 90 supports Energy systems, delivering long-lasting performance in furnaces, turbines, and energy storage systems.
The alloy offers corrosion resistance for Marine applications, including exhaust systems, propulsion units, and engine components exposed to seawater.
In Mining, Nimonic 90 is used in high-wear components such as drilling tools and pump housings due to its mechanical strength.
For automotive applications, the alloy is used in turbochargers and exhaust systems, providing thermal resistance and durability.
The chemical processing industry benefits from Nimonic 90’s corrosion resistance, used in reactors and heat exchangers operating under extreme conditions.
The alloy's non-reactive properties in the Pharmaceutical and Food sectors make it ideal for valves, pumps, and heat exchangers.
For Military and Defense applications, Nimonic 90 is used in jet engines and missile systems, offering high thermal stability and fatigue resistance.
In Nuclear industries, the alloy ensures reliable performance in reactors and heat exchangers exposed to radiation and high temperatures.
When to Choose Nimonic 90 Superalloy
Nimonic 90 is perfect for custom superalloy parts used in high-temperature environments. It performs exceptionally well in applications requiring creep resistance, thermal fatigue resistance, and oxidation resistance.
This alloy is ideal for turbine blades, exhaust systems, and valves exposed to continuous heat and stress in aerospace and power generation industries. Nimonic 90 is also highly suitable for components operating in harsh chemical or marine environments, thanks to its excellent corrosion resistance.
When your application demands long-term reliability under severe thermal and mechanical stress, Nimonic 90 offers consistent performance with minimal maintenance. Explore our custom superalloy parts service for tailored solutions to your industry-specific requirements.
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