Abstract: A method of forming a component from a gamma-prime precipitation-strengthened nickel-base superalloy so that, following a supersolvus heat treatment the component characterized by a uniformly-sized grain microstructure. The method includes forming a billet having a sufficiently fine grain size to achieve superplasticity of the superalloy during a subsequent working step. The billet is then worked at a temperature below the gamma-prime solvus temperature of the superalloy so as to form a worked article, wherein the billet is worked so as to maintain strain rates above a lower strain rate limit to control average grain size and below an upper strain rate limit to avoid critical grain growth. Thereafter, the worked article is heat treated at a temperature above the gamma-prime solvus temperature of the superalloy for a duration sufficient to uniformly coarsen the grains of the worked article, after which the worked article is cooled at a rate sufficient to reprecipitate gamma-prime within the worked article.

Abstract: An article is prepared by furnishing a plurality of powder particle substrates made of a substrate metal, providing a nonmetallic precursor of a metallic coating material, wherein the metallic coating material comprises an alloying element that is thermophysically melt incompatible with the substrate metal, contacting the powder particle substrates with the nonmetallic precursor, chemically reducing the nonmetallic precursor to form coated powder particles comprising the powder particle substrates having a surface-enriched layer of the metallic coating material thereon without melting the powder particle substrates, and processing the coated powder particles to form the article, without melting the powder particle substrates.