Ultrafast miniaturised assessment of high-temperature creep properties of metals

Abstract A novel approach to accelerate greatly and simplify the determination of creep properties in metals is presented. The method combines advanced digital image correlation, thermal imaging, and conductive graded heating to produce and analyse viscoplastic deformation in a continuous range of temperatures at constant stresses. By differentiating the strain across small sections of the sample at different temperatures, one may extract the creep behaviour at many different temperatures and thus derive the activation energy. Just a single test and specimen is needed to make a first reasonable estimate. The method is suitable for all metals and alloys but is validated here for a prototype Ni-based single superalloy.