Alloy A-286，Incoloy A-286 Tube，

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Alloy A-286 (Incoloy A-286 Wire) - Introduction with Composition, Properties, Applications and Product Forms

Alloy A-286, commercially known as Incoloy A-286, is a precipitation-hardening iron-nickel-chromium superalloy celebrated for its exceptional combination of high-temperature strength, excellent oxidation resistance, and good fabricability. This high-performance alloy is designed to maintain its mechanical properties at elevated temperatures up to 700°C (1292°F), making it a preferred choice for demanding industrial applications. It is available in a comprehensive range of forms to meet diverse needs, including Bar (Round bar, Flat bar), Ribbon, Wire, Rods, Tube, Pipe, Foil, Plate, Sheet, Strip, and Forging Stock. Incoloy A-286 Wire, in particular, is valued for its flexibility, high strength, and resistance to thermal fatigue, making it ideal for intricate components in aerospace, power generation, and chemical processing industries. Below is a detailed overview of its chemical composition, key properties, practical applications, and available product forms.

Chemical Composition

The precisely engineered chemical composition of Alloy A-286 (Incoloy A-286) is the foundation of its exceptional high-temperature strength and corrosion resistance. The typical composition (by weight) is as follows:

Iron (Fe): 40-45% (primary matrix element, providing structural strength and stability)

Nickel (Ni): 24-27% (enhances high-temperature stability and corrosion resistance)

Chromium (Cr): 13.5-16% (critical for oxidation resistance, forming a protective chromium oxide layer in high-temperature environments)

Molybdenum (Mo): 1.0-1.5% (boosts strength and resistance to pitting corrosion)

Titanium (Ti): 2.0-2.4% (a key precipitation hardening element, forming intermetallic phases for enhanced strength)

Aluminum (Al): 0.1-0.35% (aids in precipitation hardening and improves oxidation resistance)

Vanadium (V): 0.1-0.5% (enhances strength through solid solution strengthening and precipitation)

Carbon (C): 0.04-0.10% (assists in strengthening and carbide formation, improving high-temperature performance)

Manganese (Mn): ≤ 2.0% (improves weldability and prevents hot cracking during manufacturing)

Silicon (Si): ≤ 1.0% (aids in forming a stable oxide layer, enhancing oxidation resistance)

Boron (B): 0.001-0.01% (improves grain boundary strength, especially at high temperatures)

Zirconium (Zr): ≤ 0.05% (enhances creep resistance and grain boundary stability)

Sulfur (S): ≤ 0.03% (kept at low levels to ensure good ductility and weldability)

This balanced composition, combined with a precipitation-hardening heat treatment, delivers the alloy's signature high-temperature strength, oxidation resistance, and formability, making it suitable for the most demanding high-heat applications.

Key Properties

Alloy A-286 (Incoloy A-286 Wire) and its various forms exhibit a robust set of properties that make them indispensable in high-temperature, corrosive, and high-stress applications:

Mechanical Properties (room temperature, precipitation-hardened condition):

Tensile strength: 1030-1240 MPa (149,400-180,000 psi)

Yield strength (0.2% offset): 760-970 MPa (110,200-140,700 psi)

Elongation (in 50 mm): 15-25% (good ductility, enabling forming and welding in various product forms)

Hardness: 30-38 HRC (Rockwell hardness, indicating high strength and wear resistance)

High-Temperature Performance:

Thermal stability: Maintains significant strength up to 700°C (1292°F), with tensile strength remaining above 600 MPa at 650°C (1202°F)

Creep resistance: Exhibits excellent creep resistance at 600-700°C (1112-1292°F), suitable for long-term service under sustained stress in high-temperature systems

Oxidation resistance: Resistant to oxidation in air and combustion gases up to 800°C (1472°F), forming a dense, self-healing chromium oxide layer

Thermal fatigue resistance: Superior resistance to thermal cycling, making it ideal for applications with frequent temperature fluctuations

Corrosion Resistance:

General corrosion resistance: Good resistance to atmospheric corrosion, freshwater, and steam, ensuring durability in industrial environments

High-temperature corrosion: Resistant to sulfidation and oxidation in high-temperature gases, suitable for power generation and aerospace applications

Wet corrosion: Resistant to mild acids, alkaline solutions, and industrial chemicals, though less suitable for strong oxidizing acids

Stress corrosion cracking (SCC): Resistant to SCC in most industrial environments, including moderate chloride-containing solutions

Physical Properties:

Density: 7.9 g/cm³ (0.285 lb/in³)

Thermal conductivity: 15.1 W/(m·K) at 20°C (68°F), increasing to 22.0 W/(m·K) at 700°C (1292°F)

Melting point: 1360-1410°C (2480-2570°F)

Coefficient of thermal expansion: 16.0 μm/(m·K) (20-100°C), rising to 19.0 μm/(m·K) at 700°C (1292°F)

Modulus of elasticity: 206 GPa (29,900 ksi) at room temperature, decreasing to 170 GPa (24,600 ksi) at 700°C (1292°F)

Product Forms

Alloy A-286 (Incoloy A-286) is manufactured in a diverse range of forms to accommodate specialized industrial processes across aerospace, power generation, and chemical sectors:

Bar: Available as Round bar (diameters from 8 mm to 300 mm) and Flat bar (thickness 6 mm to 150 mm, width 20 mm to 600 mm), ideal for machining into turbine components, fasteners, and high-temperature hardware.

Ribbon: Thin, flat strips (thickness 0.1 mm to 2 mm, width 5 mm to 100 mm) used in electrical heating elements, springs, and seals for high-temperature equipment.

Wire: Incoloy A-286 Wire (diameters 0.05 mm to 10 mm) offers excellent flexibility and high-temperature strength, making it suitable for thermocouple leads, springs, and woven mesh in high-heat environments.

Rods: Solid cylindrical rods (diameters 3 mm to 50 mm) suitable for structural supports in gas turbines, boilers, and chemical reactors.

Tube and Pipe: Seamless and welded options (outer diameter 6 mm to 200 mm, wall thickness 0.5 mm to 20 mm) for transporting high-temperature fluids, including steam and hot gases, in power generation systems.

Foil: Ultra-thin sheets (thickness 0.01 mm to 0.1 mm) used in lightweight thermal barriers, insulation, and precision components in aerospace systems.

Plate and Sheet: Flat forms (plate: thickness 5 mm to 100 mm; sheet: 0.3 mm to 5 mm) for fabricating turbine casings, heat exchanger panels, and boiler components.

Strip: Narrow, flat strips (thickness 0.1 mm to 3 mm, width 10 mm to 200 mm) for precision manufacturing in springs, clips, and electrical components for high-temperature systems.

Forging Stock: Billets and ingots for hot forging into complex shapes such as turbine disks, valve bodies, and aerospace engine components.

Applications

The exceptional high-temperature properties of Alloy A-286 (Incoloy A-286 Wire) across its various forms make it a critical material in industries requiring strength and stability at elevated temperatures:

Aerospace and Aviation:

Gas turbine engines: Turbine disks, blades, and combustion chamber components (from forging stock, plate, and sheet) leveraging high-temperature strength and creep resistance.

Aircraft structures: Fasteners, springs, and structural components (from bar, wire, and strip) exposed to high temperatures during flight.

Rocket propulsion systems: Components exposed to high-temperature exhaust gases, such as nozzles (from forging stock) and fuel lines (from tube).

Power Generation:

Steam turbines: Rotor shafts, blades, and casings (from bar, plate, and forging stock) for fossil fuel and nuclear power plants, withstanding high-pressure steam.

Boilers and heat exchangers: Tubes, pipes, and heat exchanger panels (from tube, pipe, and sheet) resisting high-temperature oxidation and corrosion.

Gas turbines: Combustion liners and transition pieces (from sheet and plate) for industrial gas turbine systems.

Chemical Processing:

High-temperature reactors: Vessel liners, agitators, and transfer lines (from plate, tube, and bar) for processes involving high temperatures and mild corrosive environments.

Heat treatment equipment: Furnace components, baskets, and fixtures (from wire mesh, sheet, and rod) resisting oxidation at elevated temperatures.

Pump and valve components: Shafts, valves, and seals (from bar and forging stock) for handling hot fluids and gases.

Automotive and Racing:

High-performance engines: Exhaust components, valve springs, and turbocharger parts (from wire, strip, and bar) exposed to high temperatures.

Racing applications: Components requiring high strength at elevated temperatures, such as suspension parts and engine valves (from bar and forging stock).

Specialized Applications by Form:

Wire: Thermocouple leads in high-temperature furnaces, springs in aerospace systems, and woven mesh for filtration in hot gas streams.

Tube/Pipe: Steam lines in power plants, fuel lines in aerospace systems, and heat exchanger tubes in chemical processing.

Plate/Sheet: Turbine casings, boiler panels, and combustion liners in high-temperature systems.

Bar/Forging Stock: Turbine disks, fasteners, and valve bodies requiring high strength and creep resistance at elevated temperatures.

In summary, Alloy A-286 (Incoloy A-286 Wire) — available in forms from Bar and Wire to Plate and Forging Stock — delivers exceptional high-temperature strength, oxidation resistance, and formability. Its diverse product forms enable tailored solutions across aerospace, power generation, and chemical processing sectors, establishing it as a critical material in high-heat industrial applications.

Packing of Standard Packing: 

Typical bulk packaging includes palletized plastic 5 gallon/25 kg. pails, fiber and steel drums to 1 ton super sacks in full container (FCL) or truck load (T/L) quantities. Research and sample quantities and hygroscopic, oxidizing or other air sensitive materials may be packaged under argon or vacuum. Solutions are packaged in polypropylene, plastic or glass jars up to palletized 2720 gallon liquid totes Special package is available on request.