Inconel 718

Nickel-chromium alloys are the most widely used nickel-based alloys in manufacturing. They are characterised by their excellent corrosion resistance at both ambient and elevated temperatures. This resistance takes the form of a protective film that prevents further oxidation and retention of the alloy’s mechanical properties over a wide temperature range.

Nickel-chromium alloys are better known by the Special Metals Corporation tradename Inconel®, or the Haynes International Inc. trademark Hastelloy®. There are at least fifteen commercially-available nickel-chromium grades at this time. However, there is also potential for further development and refinement to support new applications.

History of Inconel 718

Inconel 718 is the most widely known and specified grade within this family of alloys. Introduced in the 1960s, it was initially used in the aerospace industry. However, due to its ready availability in the market, it was later also adopted by the oil and gas industries. Because of this adoption, wells were able to move offshore and drill deeper whilst dealing with increasingly higher temperatures, pressures and corrosive contaminants. 

Other nickel-based alloys such as Hastelloy C276 and Inconel 625 provided sufficient corrosion resistance. However, they had insufficient strength without extensive cold working. Martensitic stainless steels, meanwhile,  were limited by their potential for hydrogen embrittlement and stress corrosion cracking. Therefore, Inconel 718 soon became a default choice for many pressure-containing and load-bearing components in aggressive environments.

Inconel 718 utilises precipitation treatment to achieve significantly increased strengths, whilst still retaining much of the toughness (impact strength) and formability (elongation) of the base alloy. There are multiple terms for the precipitation treating of nickel alloys, including aged, age hardened or precipitation strengthened. The objective is to form very fine precipitates dispersed throughout the bar. 

These act to ‘pin’ microstructural features (grain boundaries) and restrict them from moving when the metal is subjected to an external load. This process is achieved through a combination of chemical composition (selected additions to the alloy) with multi-stage heat treatments. It is available in a number of increasing strength levels depending upon the extent of heat treatment undertaken.

High-Temperature Applications  

Nickel alloys, such as Inconel 718, are well-suited to high-temperature applications as most other metals are either too brittle or tend to oxidise when exposed to elevated temperatures. However, nickel-based alloys will form a protective oxide layer when heated in an atmosphere containing oxygen, thereby preventing further oxidation. Inconel 718 also has a high melting point. This means that only a handful of more exotic alloys are able to better perform at high temperatures. Inconel 718 retains its ambient temperature mechanical properties up to 650degC.

Inconel 718 offers very high levels of performance, both corrosion resistance and high strength. As such, applications will tend towards more aggressive environments as load-bearing components. The list of applications in oil and gas, plus the chemical process industry, is extensive but includes wellhead and downhole components, sheathing, fasteners, gate valves, choke stems, packers, tubing hangers and other items for corrosive/sour service.

Langley Alloys stocks Alloy 718 as solid bars between 5/8” (15.875mm) and 10” (254mm) in diameter. Our stock is certified to API 6A CRA and NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156-3.

Find Out More about Inconel 718

As well as Inconel, Langley Alloys also manufactures a wide range of other alloys, including Incoloy alloys, super duplex stainless steels, and many more For more information about Inconel 718 or any other alloys from Langley Alloys, please contact us today for more information.

Inconel is a trademark of the Special Metals Corporation group of companies.

Hastelloy is a trademark of Haynes International Inc.