Experimental and thermodynamic study of nickel-based alloys containing chromium carbides, Part I: Study of the Ni–30 wt% Cr–xxC system over the [0–2.0 wt% C] range

Seven {Ni–30 wt% Cr}-based alloys containing between 0 and 2 wt% C, were produced by casting and heat treated at 1000, 1100 and 1200 ∘C. Their solidus and liquidus temperatures and surface fractions of the existing phases were experimentally determined. These results were compared to calculations performed with Thermo-Calc in order to prove the database. Additional thermodynamic calculations were used for the exploration of microstructures for other Cr and C contents, inside or outside the interval of values studied above. The calculated solidus temperatures and the volume fractions of carbides are in good agreement with experiments. This allowed using calculations to explore with accuracy the microstructure variation in this ternary system: fractions of carbides for higher contents in C or other Cr contents, or conditions on C for avoiding carbides (solvus determination).