Ultrasonic cavitation erosion of INCONEL 625 superalloy subjected to recrystallization annealing heat treatment

Abstract Ultrasonic cavitation erosion is a type of wear that occurs in engineering components operating in liquid environments with pressure fluctuations, which have worked both at low temperatures (below 10 °C) and at high temperatures (close to the boiling point). Damage caused by cavitation erosion can lead to significant economic losses and poses a risk of failure in high-security industries such as nuclear, aerospace, maritime, and petrochemical sectors. The experimental investigation of the cavitation erosion behavior of the INCONEL 625 superalloy subjected to recrystallization annealing heat treatment was carried out using a piezoceramic crystal vibrator device in accordance with ASTM G32-2016 standards. The time evolution of surface degradation was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that degradation phenomena initiated at the grain boundaries of the Ni-based solid solution and at the interface between precipitated phase particles and the matrix. At the end of the ultrasonic cavitation testing period, material loss was attributed to the coalescence of fatigue cracks and the formation of microcraters.