Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, 2005.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 23-25).The average operating temperature of REN脡 N5庐 high pressure turbine blades was evaluated via [gamma]/[gamma]' microstructure and coating/base metal interdiffusion methods. The [gamma]' volume fraction was measured by point counting and direct area measurement. The data, however, were found inadequate to accurately determine the operating temperature. The interdiffusion between the platinum aluminide coating and the base material was modeled with an error function solution to Fick's Second Law. This method provided an estimation of the operating temperature that varied from the reported operating temperature by only 1%.by Wendy D. Ham.S.M
