A study has been undertaken to determine the effect of microstructural stability on the properties of ground state crystal structure of Ni 4 Mo with D1 a superlattice. Thermal aging experiments have been carried out at 600, 700, and 800°C for up to 1,000 h and the corresponding effects on room temperature tensile properties and corrosion resistance in boiling 20% HCl have been determined. Details of the ordered microstructure have been characterized using x-ray diffraction, optical metallography, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and Auger electron spectroscopy. It is shown that the D1 a superlattice with nanoscale microstructure has a potentially useful combination of mechanical strength and corrosion resistance. However, changes in the microstructure of the D1 a superlattice resulting from spontaneous recrystallization after extended aging are found to have adverse effects on tensile ductility and corrosion resistance. This behavior has been correlated with formation of Mo-depleted zones alongside grain boundaries. Although first-principle calculations can accurately predict the ground state structures of many materials, the results of the study show that these methods are still in a stage where some application relevant properties of complex materials, such as the D1 a superlattice of Ni4Mo, cannot be predicted.