Microstructure evolution and nucleation mechanism of Inconel 601H alloy welds by vibration-assisted GTAW

Ze-long Wang; Zhen-tai Zheng; Li-bing Zhao; Yun-feng Lei; Kun Yang

doi:10.1007/s12613-018-1627-2

Volume 25 Issue 7

Jul. 2018

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Article Navigation > International Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials > 2018 > 25(7): 788-799

Ze-long Wang, Zhen-tai Zheng, Li-bing Zhao, Yun-feng Lei, and Kun Yang, Microstructure evolution and nucleation mechanism of Inconel 601H alloy welds by vibration-assisted GTAW, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 25(2018), No. 7, pp. 788-799. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-018-1627-2

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Ze-long Wang, Zhen-tai Zheng, Li-bing Zhao, Yun-feng Lei, and Kun Yang, Microstructure evolution and nucleation mechanism of Inconel 601H alloy welds by vibration-assisted GTAW, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 25(2018), No. 7, pp. 788-799. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-018-1627-2

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Research Article

Microstructure evolution and nucleation mechanism of Inconel 601H alloy welds by vibration-assisted GTAW

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Corresponding author:
Zhen-tai Zheng E-mail: zzt@hebut.edu.cn
Received: 10 November 2017; Revised: 17 March 2018; Accepted: 20 March 2018

Abstract

Abstract

Nickel-based alloys exhibit excellent high-temperature strength and oxidation resistance; however, because of coarse grains and severe segregation in their welding joints, these alloys exhibit increased susceptibility to hot cracking. In this paper, to improve the hot-cracking resistance and mechanical properties of nickel-based alloy welded joints, sodium thiosulfate was used to simulate crystallization, enabling the nucleation mechanism under mechanical vibration to be investigated. On the basis of the results, the grain refinement mechanism during the gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) of Inconel 601H alloy under various vibration modes and parameters was investigated. Compared with the GTAW process, the low-frequency mechanical vibration processes resulted in substantial grain refinement effects in the welds; thus, a higher hardness distribution was also achieved under the vibration conditions. In addition, the γ' phase exhibited a dispersed distribution and segregation was improved in the welded joints with vibration assistance. The results demonstrated that the generation of free crystals caused by vibration in the nucleation stage was the main mechanism of grain refinement. Also, fine equiaxed grains and a dispersed γ' phase were found to improve the grain-boundary strength and reduce the segregation, contributing to preventing the initiation of welding hot cracking in nickel-based alloys.
- mechanical vibration;
- nickel-based alloy;
- grain refinement;
- microstructure;
- hot cracking

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