Effect of Interface Form on Creep Failure and Life of Dissimilar Metal Welds Involving Nickel-Based Weld Metal and Ferritic Base Metal

For dissimilar metal welds(DMWs)involving nickel-based weld metal(WM)and ferritic heat resistant steel base metal(BM)in power plants,there must be an interface between WM and BM,and this interface suffers mechanical and microstructure mismatches and is often the rupture location of premature failure.In this study,a new form of WM/BM interface form,namely double Y-type interface was designed for the DMWs.Creep behaviors and life of DMWs containing double Y-type interface and conventional I-type interface were compared by finite element analysis and creep tests,and creep failure mechanisms were investigated by stress-strain analysis and microstructure characterization.By applying double Y-type interface instead of conventional I-type interface,failure location of DMW could be shifted from the WM/ferritic heat-affected zone(HAZ)interface into the ferritic HAZ or even the ferritic BM,and the failure mode change improved the creep life of DMW.The interface premature failure of I-type interface DMW was related to the coupling effect of microstructure degradation,stress and strain concentrations,and oxide notch on the WM/HAZ interface.The creep failure of double Y-type interface DMW was the result of Type IV fracture due to the creep voids and micro-cracks on fine-grain boundaries in HAZ,which was a result of the matrix softening of HAZ and lack of precipitate pinning at fine-grain boundaries.The double Y-type interface form separated the stress and strain concentrations in DMW from the WM/HAZ interface,preventing the trigger effect of oxide notch on interface failure and inhibiting the interfacial microstructure cracking.It is a novel scheme to prolong creep life and enhance reliability of DMW,by means of optimizing the interface form,decoupling the damage factors from WM/HAZ interface,and then changing the failure mechanism and shifting the failure location.

Failure Analysis of Dissimilar Metal Welds between Ferritic Heat Resistant Steels and Austenitic Stainless Steels in Power Plant

This study analysed the failure of dissimilar metal welds(DMWs)between ferritic heat resistant steels and austenitic stainless steels and investigated its influencing factors by means of numerical simulation,microstructure characterization and mechanical property test.Under the long-term high-temperature service condition in practical power plant,the DMW failure mode was along the interface between nickel-based weld metal(WM)and ferritic heat resistant steel,and the failure mechanism was stress/strain concentration,microstructure degradation and oxidation coupling acting on the interface.The numerical simulation results show that interface stress/strain concentration was due to the differences in coefficient of thermal expansion and creep strength,and the degree of stress/strain concentration was related to service time.The ferrite band formed at the WM/ferritic steel interface was prone to cracking,attracting the fracture along the interface.The interface crack allowed oxidation to develop along the WM/ferritic steel interface.During long-term service,the interface stress/strain concentration,microstructure and oxidation all evolved,which synergistically promoted interface failure of DMW.However,only under the long-term service of low stress conditions could trigger the interface failure of DMW.Meanwhile,long-term service would reduce the mechanical strength and plasticity of DMW.

Achieving a high-strength dissimilar joint of T91 heat-resistant steel to 316L stainless steel via friction stir welding

The reliable welding of T91 heat-resistant steel to 316L stainless steel is a considerable issue for ensuring the safety in service of ultrasupercritical power generation unit and nuclear fusion reactor,but the high-quality dissimilar joint of these two steels was difficult to be obtained by traditional fusion welding methods.Here we improved the structure-property synergy in a dissimilar joint of T91 steel to 316L steel via friction stir welding.A defect-free joint with a large bonding interface was produced using a small-sized tool under a relatively high welding speed.The bonding interface was involved in a mixing zone with both mechanical mixing and metallurgical bonding.No obvious material softening was detected in the joint except a negligible hardness decline of only HV~10 in the heat-affected zone of the T91 steel side due to the formation of ferrite phase.The welded joint exhibited an excellent ultimate tensile strength as high as that of the 316L parent metal and a greatly enhanced yield strength on account of the dependable bonding and material renovation in the weld zone.This work recommends a promising technique for producing high-strength weldments of dissimilar nuclear steels.

Review on friction stir welding of dissimilar magnesium and aluminum alloys: Scientometric analysis and strategies for achieving high-quality joints

Magnesium and aluminum alloys continually attract interest as lightweight structural materials for transport applications. However, joining these dissimilar alloys is very challenging. The main obstacle that hinders progress in dissimilar Mg-Al joining is the formation of brittle intermetallic compounds(IMCs). As a solid-state joining technique, FSW is an excellent candidate to attenuate the deleterious IMC effects in dissimilar Al-Mg joining due to the inherent low heat inputs involved in the process. However, the IMCs, namely Al_(3)Mg_(2) and Al_(12)Mg_(17) phases, have also been reported to form during Al-Mg dissimilar FSW;their amount and thickness depend on the heat input involved;thus,the weld parameters used. Since the heat dissipated in the material during the welding process significantly affects the amount of IMCs,the heat input during FSW should be kept as low as possible to control and reduce the amount of IMCs. This review aims to critically discuss and evaluate the studies conducted in the dissimilar Al/Mg FSW through a scientometric analysis and also with a focus on the strategies recently applied to enhance joint quality. The scientometric analysis showed that the main research directions in Mg/Al FSW are the technological weldability of aluminum and magnesium during FSW, structural morphology, and mechanical properties of dissimilar welded joints. Considering the scope of application of the aforementioned joints, the low share of articles dealing with environmental degradation and operational cracking is surprising. This might be attributed to the need for well-developed strategies for obtaining high-quality and sustainable joints for applications. Thus, the second part of this review is conventional, focusing mainly on the new strategies for obtaining high-quality Mg/Al joints. It can be concluded that in addition to the necessity to optimum welding parameters to suppress the excessive heat to limit the amount and thickness of IMC formed and improve the overall joint quality, strategies such as using Zn interlayer, electric current assisted FSW(EAFSW), ultrasonic vibration FSW(UVa FSW), are considered effective in the elimination, reduction, and fragmentation of the brittle IMCs.

Characteristics and Weldability of Resistance Plug Welding of Dissimilar Steels

TRIP980 high-strength steel plate/SPCC low-carbon steel plate were welded by RPW. The key factors such as size and material of filler were studied, and the structure, fusion ratio and mechanical properties of the RPW joint were analyzed. The experimental results show that the calculation formulas of the length and diameter of the filler were designed reasonably. Q235 as a filler for RPW of TRIP980 high-strength steel plate/SPCC low-carbon steel plate is suitable according to schaeffler organization chart. The deposited metal of RPW joint is in the shape of “spool”,and the base metal and cap of deposited metal are alternately combined. The deposited metal has the characteristics of “locking” as rivets, which is beneficial to the improvement of mechanical properties of RPW joint. The nugget of RPW joint is uniform without deviates. TRIP980 high-strength steel plate, SPCC low-carbon steel plate, and filler were metallurgically bonded in the RPW joint.

Electron-Beam Welding Joint Strength of Dissimilar Materials

This paper provides an in-depth discussion of the joint strength of electron beam welding of dissimilar materials.The effect of welding parameters and material properties on the joint strength was analyzed,and an argument for the optimal parameter combination is presented.Electron-beam welding technology offers several advantages,including high energy density and the ability to create fine weld seams.However,it also presents certain challenges,such as the complexity of welding parameters and the potential generation of brittle phases.The analysis conducted in this paper holds significant importance in enhancing the quality and efficiency of dissimilar material welding processes.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of dissimilar pure copper/1350 aluminum alloy butt joints by friction stir welding

The dissimilar friction stir welding of pure copper/1350 aluminum alloy sheet with a thickness of 3 mm was investigated. Most of the rotating pin was inserted into the aluminum alloy side through a pin-off technique, and sound welds were obtained at a rotation speed of 1000 r/min and a welding speed of 80 mm/min. Complicated microstructure was formed in the nugget, in which vortex-like pattern and lamella structure could be found. No intermetallic compounds were found in the nugget. The hardness distribution indicates that the hardness at the copper side of the nugget is higher than that at the aluminum alloy side, and the hardness at the bottom of the nugget is generally higher than that in other regions. The ultimate tensile strength and elongation of the dissimilar welds are 152 MPa and 6.3%, respectively. The fracture surface observation shows that the dissimilar joints fail with a ductile-brittle mixed fracture mode durin~ tensile test.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of dissimilar Al-Cu joints by friction stir welding

Dissimilar friction stir welding between 1060 aluminum alloy and annealed pure copper sheet with a thickness of 3 mm was investigated. Sound weld was obtained at a rotational speed of 1050 r/min and a welding speed of 30 mm/min. Intercalation structure formed at the crown and Cu/weld nugget （WN） area promotes interracial diffusion and metallurgical bonding of aluminum and copper. However, corrosion morphology reveals the weak bonding mechanism of internal interface, which causes the joint failing across the interface with a brittle-ductile mixed fracture mode. The tensile strength of the joint is 148 MPa, which is higher than that of the aluminum matrix. Crystal defects and grain refinement by severely plastic deformation during friction stir welding facilitate short circuit diffusion and thus accelerate the formation of A14Cu9 and A12Cu intermetallic compounds （IMCs）. XRD results show that A14Cu9 is mainly in Cu/WN transition zone. The high dislocation density and formation of dislocation loops are the major reasons of hardness increase in the WN.

Interface characteristic of friction stir welding lap joints of Ti/Al dissimilar alloys

Lap joints of TC1 Ti alloy and LF6 A1 alloy dissimilar materials were fabricated by friction stir welding and corresponding interface characteristics were investigated. Using the selected welding parameters, excellent surface appearance forms, but the interface macrograph for each lap joint cross-section is different. With the increase of welding speed or the decrease of tool rotation rate, the amount of Ti alloy particles stirred into the stir zone by the force of tool pin decreases continuously. Moreover, the failure loads of the lap joints also decrease with increasing welding speed and the largest value is achieved at welding speed of 60 mm/min and tool rotation rate of 1500 r/min, where the interracial zone can be divided into 3 kinds of layers. The microhardness of the lap joint shows an uneven distribution and the maximum hardness of HV 502 is found in the middle of the stir zone.

The role of physical properties in explosive welding of copper to stainless steel

This paper investigates the effects of the physical properties on the microstructure and weldability of explosive welding by joining two metals with a significant contrast in thermophysical properties:stainless steel and copper.Sound welds between stainless steel and copper were obtained,and the interfacial morphology was wavy,regardless of the position of the materials.The weldability of dissimilar pairs was found to be more dependent on the relationship between the physical properties of the base materials than on the absolute value of the material property.When there is a significant difference in thermal conductivity between the flyer and the base plate,together with a material with a low melting temperature,the weldability of the pair is often poor.The relative position of the plates affects the interfacial microstructure even when similar morphologies are found.For the metallic pairs studied,the wave size was bigger for the configuration in which the ratio between the density of the flyer and the density of the base plate is smaller.The same phenomenon was observed for the impedance:bigger waves were found for a smaller ratio between the impedance of the flyer and the impedance of the base plate.

Research on microstructure and properties of boron/Q235 steel laser welded dissimilar joints under synchronous thermal field

The mechanical mismatch effect frequently occurs in the dissimilar materials welded joints, thus leading to plastic gradient at the interface between the weld and heat-affected zone(HAZ). In this work, the boron steel and Q235 steel were selected for laser tailor welding,which obtained boron/Q235 steel tailor-welded blanks(TWBs). The method of welding with synchronous thermal field(WSTF) was utilized to eliminate the mismatch effects in TWBs. The WSTF was employed to adjust cooling rates of welded joints, thereby intervening in the solidification behaviors and phase transition of the molten pool. Boron/Q235 steel was welded by laser under conventional and WSTF(300-600 ℃) conditions, respectively. The results show that the microstructure of weld and HAZ(boron) was adequately transitioned to ferrites and pearlites instead of abundant martensite by WSTF. Meanwhile, the discrepancy of microhardness and yield strength between various regions of welded joints was greatly reduced, and the overall plasticity of welded joints was enhanced by WSTF. It is indicated that WSTF can effectively contribute to reducing plastic gradient and achieving mechanical congruity in welded joints by restraining the generation of hardbrittle phase, which could significantly improve the formability of TWBs in subsequent hot stamping.

Effect of intermetallic compounds on the fracture behavior of dissimilar friction stir welding joints of Mg and Al alloys

Joining Mg to Al is challenging because of the deterioration of mechanical properties caused by the formation of intermetallic compounds(IMCs) at the Mg/Al interface. This study aims to improve the mechanical properties of welded samples by preventing the fracture location at the Mg/Al interface. Friction stir welding was performed to join Mg to Al at different rotational and travel speeds. The microstructure of the welded samples showed the IMCs layers containing Al12Mg17(γ) and Al3Mg2(β) at the welding zone with a thickness(< 3.5 μm). Mechanical properties were mainly affected by the thickness of the IMCs, which was governed by welding parameters. The highest tensile strength was obtained at 600 r/min and 40 mm/min with a welding efficiency of 80%. The specimens could fracture along the boundary at the thermo-mechanically affected zone in the Mg side of the welded joint.

Effect of welding process on the microstructure and properties of dissimilar weld joints between low alloy steel and duplex stainless steel

To obtain high-quality dissimilar weld joints, the processes of metal inert gas （MIG） welding and tungsten inert gas （TIG） welding for duplex stainless steel （DSS） and low alloy steel were compared in this paper. The microstructure and corrosion morphology of dissimilar weld joints were observed by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）; the chemical compositions in different zones were detected by en- ergy-dispersive spectroscopy （EDS）; the mechanical properties were measured by microhardness test, tensile test, and impact test; the corro- sion behavior was evaluated by polarization curves. Obvious concentration gradients of Ni and Cr exist between the fusion boundary and the type II boundary, where the hardness is much higher. The impact toughness of weld metal by MIG welding is higher than that by TIG weld- ing. The corrosion current density of TIG weld metal is higher than that of MIG weld metal in a 3.5wt% NaC1 solution. Galvanic corrosion happens between low alloy steel and weld metal, revealing the weakness of low alloy steel in industrial service. The quality of joints pro- duced by MIG welding is better than that by TIG welding in mechanical performance and corrosion resistance. MIG welding with the filler metal ER2009 is the suitable welding process for dissimilar metals jointing between UNS $31803 duplex stainless steel and low alloy steel in practical application.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of dissimilar steel plate resistance plug welding joints

A new type of hybrid welding method called resistance plug welding （RPW） was firstly adopted to achieve the connecting of dissimilar steel, mainly as for the poor welding characteristics of high strength steel produced by increasing carbon, manganese, silicon, etc. Microstructures and mechanical properties of RPW joint were analyzed by optical microscope,micro-hardness test and shear tensile measurement. Experimental results indicate that the RPW joint has a rounded rectangle nugget ^ and the size is larger than elliptical nugget of resistance spot welding （RSW） jo in t; the hardness value of RPW joint is evenly distributed, accordingly there is no hard brittle phases ; the shear tensile strength o f RPW joint increases by 20% in comparison with RSW joint under the same welding conditions.

Optimization of gas tungsten arc welding parameters for the dissimilar welding between AISI 304 and AISI 201 stainless steels

This present study applied gas tungsten arc welding in order to join AISI 304 and AISI 201 stainless steels.The objective was to find the optimum welding condition that gave a weld bead in accordance with DIN EN ISO 25817 quality level B, pitting corrosion potential of the weld metal of not less than that of the AISI304 base metal and a ratio of delta-ferrite in austenite matrix of the weld metal of not lower than 3%.Such a ratio is a criterion widely accepted to protect the weld metal from solidification cracking. At the welding current of 75 A and by using pure argon as a shielding gas 0 to 8 vol.% and applying a welding speed in the range of 2-3.5 mm·s^(-1) was found to give a complete weld bead with an increased depthper-width ratio(promote weldability). For welding speed in the range of 3 and 3.5 mm·s^(-1)(promote corrosion resistance). Increasing the welding speed in such a range decreased the amount of delta-ferrite in the austenite matrix, and increased the pitting corrosion potential of the weld metal to be 302 mV_(SCE).This value was still lower than the pitting corrosion potential of the AISI 304 base metal. Mixing nitrogen in argon shielding gas increased the nitrogen content in the weld. The optimum condition was found when using a welding speed of 3 mm· s^(-1) and mixing 1 vol.% of nitrogen in the argon shielding gas(promote weldability and corrosion resistance). Pitted areas after potentiodynamic test were observed in the austenite in which its Cr content was relatively low.

Microstructure and mechanical characterization of Incoloy 825 Ni-based alloy welded to 2507 super duplex stainless steel through dissimilar friction stir welding

The feasibility of dissimilar friction stir welding(FSW)between the SAF 2507 super duplex stainless steel and the Incoloy825 Ni-based superalloy was evaluated.The microstructure and mechanical behavior of the weldments were examined too.The results showed that the alloys were successfully welded together by positioning the SAF 2507 on the advancing side.The nuggets displayed higher hardness than the base metals,due to the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization and the subsequent refinement of the microstructures.The welded sample obtained the similar strength to the Incoloy 825 parent metal,showing the ductile fracture mode after the tensile tests by SEM.Moreover,the weld zone(31 J)exhibited higher and lower toughness than the Incoloy 825(23 J)and SAF 2507(42 J)parent metals,respectively.Based on the obtained results,the FSW method could be recommended to weld the super duplex stainless steel/Ni-based superalloy joints.

Preparation of bimetallic nano-composite by dissimilar friction stir welding of copper to aluminum alloy

Butt friction stir welding between pure copper and AA5754 alloy was carried out.Reinforcing SiC nanoparticles were utilized in friction stir welded(FSW)joints to decline the harmful effects of intermetallic compounds.Tensile tests,micro-hardness experiments,scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis were applied to studying the properties of welded joints.The joints with a travel speed of 50 mm/min and a rotation speed of 1000 r/min showed the best results.The presence of nano-sized SiC particles reduced the grain size of aluminum and copper in the stir zone(SZ)from 38.3 and 12.4μm to 12.9 and 5.1μm,respectively.The tensile strength of the joint in the presence of reinforcing SiC nano-particles was~240 MPa,which is~90%of that for the aluminum base.Furthermore,the highest microhardness of the weld zone was significantly increased from HV 160 to HV 320 upon the addition of SiC nano-particles.The results also showed that raising the heat generation in FSW joints increased the amount of Al_(4)Cu_(9) and Al_(2)Cu intermetallic compounds.

Effect of welding heat input and post-weld aging time on microstructure and mechanical properties in dissimilar friction stir welded AA7075-AA5086

The effects of welding heat input and post-weld heat treatment on the mechanical and microstructural aspects of dissimilarfriction stir welds of age-hardened AA7075-T6and strain hardenable AA5086-H32aluminium alloys were investigated.X-raydiffraction(XRD)residual stress analysis and tensile testing together with optical metallography and transmission electronmicroscopy(TEM)were performed to assess the effects of process parameters on welded joints.It was discovered that jointsproduced without heat sink exhibited more homogeneous stir zones than other joints.Of the natural aging time studied,higheramount of solid solution during rapid cooling of welds produced higher driving force for increase in hardness in the AA7075sideduring natural aging.Natural aging within stirring zone and thermo-mechanical affected zone of AA7075side resulted in a10to25MPa reduction in the residual stress in these zones;its effect decreased considerably in the welds performed without heat sink.Inaddition,natural aging had no noticeable effect on the joint strength.

Dissimilar friction stir welding between 5052 aluminum alloy and AZ31 magnesium alloy

Dissimilar friction stir welding between 5052 Al alloy and AZ31 Mg alloy with the plate thickness of 6 mm was investigated.Sound weld was obtained at rotation speed of 600 r/min and welding speed of 40 mm/min.Compared with the base materials,the microstructure of the stir zone is greatly refined.Complex flow pattern characterized by intercalation lamellae is formed in the stir zone.Microhardness measurement of the dissimilar welds presents an uneven distribution due to the complicated microstructure of the weld,and the maximum value of microhardness in the stir zone is twice higher than that of the base materials. The tensile fracture position locates at the advancing side(aluminum side),where the hardness distribution of weld shows a sharp decrease from the stir zone to 5052 base material.

Numerical simulation and experimental study of hybrid laser-electric arc welding between dissimilar Mg alloys

This work aims to establish a suitable numerical simulation model for hybrid laser-electric arc heat source welding of dissimilar Mg alloys between AZ31 and AZ80. Based on the energy conservation law and Fourier’s law of heat conduction, the differential equations of the three-dimensional temperature field for nonlinear transient heat conduction are built. According to the analysis of nonlinear transient heat transfer, the equations representing initial conditions and boundary conditions are obtained. The “double ellipsoidal heat source + 3D Gaussian heat source”combination was chosen to construct the laser-electric arc hybrid heat source. The weld bead morphologies and the distribution of temperature, stress, displacement and plastic strains are numerically simulated. The actual welding experiments were performed by a hybrid laser-electric arc welding machine. The interaction mechanism between laser and electric arc in the hybrid welding of Mg alloys is discussed in detail. The hybrid heat source can promote the absorption of laser energy and electric arc in the molten pool, resulting in more uniform energy distribution in the molten pool and the corresponding improvement of welding parameters. This work can provide theoretical guidance and data supports for the optimization of the hybrid laser-electric arc welding processes for Mg alloys.