Contrastive Studies between Laser Repairing and Plasma Arc Repairing on Single-Crystal Ni-Based Superalloy

Laser repairing and plasma arc repairing experiments on the single-crystal Ni-based superalloy DD407(Ni-7.82Cr-5.34Co-2.25Mo-4.88W-6.02Al-1.94Ti-3.49Ta in wt.%) were carried out in this paper, and the differences in microstructures and mechanical properties varying with depth between the two repairing methods were studied. Comparing the two repairing processes, both the fusion zone can maintain single-crystal epitaxial growth with no significant cracks and have similar fine γ′ precipitates. Nevertheless, the columnar-to-equiaxed transition phenomenon occurred on the top of the fusion zone during the laser re-melting process but was not very obvious on the top surface of the fusion zone during the plasma arc re-melting process. In addition, both the DD407 superalloy conducted with the two repairing processes had a large microhardness and a great Young’s modulus in the fusion zone.