1. History

The term "superalloys" was coined in the mid-1940s. This term defined the quality of high-temperature alloys that could not only be used at high temperatures, but also retained their strength and toughness at the same temperatures. Applications included the development of gas turbine engines for military aircraft.

In November 1919, at the International Nickel Company's research laboratory in Bayonne (NJ, USA), a note was placed on Paul Merica's desk requesting the development of a stronger Monel ^® (nickel-copper alloy family). The target application was steam turbine blades. The practice at the time was to melt a series of castings with different chemical compositions in order to determine which matched the desired effect. Aluminum levels in the castings were increased by up to 5%. This work was the first of its kind...