A superalloy, or high-performance alloy, is an alloy that exhibits excellent mechanical strength at high temperatures. Superalloy development has been driven primarily by the aerospace and power industries. This compilation of papers from the Twelfth International Symposium on Superalloys, held from September 9-13, 2012, offers the most recent technical information on this class of materials.
The purpose of the International Symposium for Superalloys, which takes place only every four years, is to provide a
forum for researchers, producers, and users to exchange recent technical information on these high temperature, high
performance materials used in gas turbine engines and related products. The overriding goal of the symposium is to
highlight new initiatives and future growth opportunities for superalloys, recent advances in the understanding of the
behavior of these materials, and progress in integrating these materials into new systems. The first symposium, held over
forty years ago, emphasized phase instabilities in superalloys. Since then, the scope of the symposium has expanded
markedly to cover all aspects of research, development, production and application of these materials. Over the years,
this Symposium has developed rich traditions, encompassing a high quality publication available before the conference,
vigorous technical presentation and discussion at the conference, and enduring memories after the conference, facilitated
by the Seven Springs Resort venue.