Abstract
The purpose of this article is the fatigue crack growth rate and stress-strain characteristic of a nickel superalloys ZhS6K.
The da/dN (K) data from near-threshold to Paris regime and the stress-strain curve were obtained using a new methodology designed for bending small specimens using material extracted directly from the blade.
The Hartmann-Schijve formula was fitted to describe the fatigue crack growth rate data. Failure mechanism was related to the crack propagation rate by help of fractographic analysis. A comparative analysis of the investigated material with the related alloy Inconel 718 was also performed.
The tensile and compression stress-strain behavior, fatigue crack growth rate, and fracture toughness of the ZhS6K nickel superalloy were determined from a single turbine blade, with failure mechanisms examined using scanning electron microscopy. Compared to Inconel 718, ZhS6K offers higher resistance to fatigue crack growth but has significantly lower fracture toughness and stress-strain properties.
The obtained results fill a gap in materials data necessary for the durability and damage tolerance assessment of turbine blades made of ZhS6K alloy.
Although the primary focus is on the fracture behavior of the newly characterized material ZhS6K, the findings contribute to a broader understanding of the fracture mechanics within the entire class of structurally similar materials.

Key words
nickel superalloy, ZhS6K, fatigue crack growth rate, small specimen testing, aircraft turbine blade

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