Materials Letters 67 (2012) 259262

Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect

Materials Letters
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/matlet

Zonular evaluation of Inconel 617/310 SS dissimilar joint by shear punch test

H. Shah Hosseini, M. Alishahi , M. Shamanian
Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 84156-83111, Iran

a r t i c l e

i n f o

a b s t r a c t
Shear punch test technique is a novel method for zonular evaluation of weldment mechanical behavior. In this study, changes in the mechanical behavior of different zones of an Inconel 617/310 austenitic stainless steel dissimilar joint, including base metal, heat affected and weld metal zones were investigated by shear punch test. ERNiCrCoMo1 (Inconel 617) ller metal was used in order to achieve dissimilar joint through gas tungsten arc welding process. Furthermore, microstructural evaluation was performed using optical and scanning electron microscopies. The results indicated that by increasing the distance from weld centerline, hardness and ultimate strength values were initially decreased and then increased while ductility was constantly decreased. In this regard, the difference in grain sizes and the type of precipitates were considered the effective parameters. 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Article history: Received 1 July 2011 Accepted 18 September 2011 Available online 22 September 2011 Keywords: Welding Inconel 617 Austenitic stainless steel Microstructure Shear punch test Mechanical behavior

1. Introduction Dissimilar metal welding is widely employed to join different alloys together. The application of dissimilar welding processes such as gas tungsten arc welding may be inevitable for joining nickel-base alloys to stainless steel. The mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of joints are signicantly controlled by the solidication behavior and resultant microstructure of weldment different zones [13]. Inconel 617 is a solid solution nickel-base superalloy with superior engineering properties. This alloy is extensively utilized in many reducing and oxidizing high temperature environments due to its excellent hot corrosion resistance. Because of the high content of Ni, Inconel 617 is an expensive alloy [4,5]. To decrease production costs, the 310 austenitic stainless steel (SS) can be considered a suitable alternative to Inconel 617 in high temperature applications. The gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) is the most reliable and the cheapest process in this regard. The quality of dissimilar weldment can be evaluated by investigating the microstructure and mechanical properties [1]. The shear punch test (SPT) is a small-specimen test technique for evaluating the mechanical properties such as strength and ductility [6,7]. In recent years, extensive research has been conducted on dissimilar welding of nickel-base superalloys to steels. In one of these researches, Sireesha et al. [8] investigated dissimilar welding of 316LN SS to alloy 800. They reported that the weldment produced by Inconel 82/182 ller metals exhibited the most favorable properties. In addition, the microstructure and weldability of dissimilar welds between AL-6XN super SS and two nickel-base alloys were studied by Dupont et al. [9]. Furthermore,

Lee et al. [2] enhanced the elongation of nickel-base alloy 690/SUS 304L dissimilar joint using Ti addition into the ller metal. Based on a literature survey, no previous work has been reported on the zonular evaluation of AISI 310 stainless steel/Inconel 617 dissimilar joint. The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanical properties of different zones in the weldment fabricated by Inconel 617 ller metals. 2. Experimental procedures The experimental base metals were 310 stainless steel and Inconel 617 in the form of 12 mm thick plates. ERNiCrMo1 (Inconel 617) welding wires 2.4 mm in diameter were selected to join the base alloys. Table 1 shows the chemical compositions of the base and ller metals. The plates were then cut into the proper size and machined to make a single-V-groove butt joint conguration. The joints were produced using the gas tungsten arc welding process with direct-current electrode negative (DCEN) mode. The welding parameters were selected as current=140 A, voltage=1720 V and welding speed=1.06 1.73 mm/s. Several transverse cross sections of the weldments were cut and characterized metallographically. Microstructural observations were performed using optical microscopy (TESCAN VEGA2) and Philips X230 scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The mean grain sizes of welding zones were calculated with the aid of Clemex Image Analysis software. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) was employed for quantitative analysis. Ten thermocouples were embedded in different weldment zones and related temperatures were recorded during welding process. In order to characterize mechanical properties in different zones of Inconel 617/310 SS dissimilar joints, shear punch test was used. The shear punch tests were performed with a DSPF 11 shear punch test machine (Degardisan Pars Co., Iran) at a crosshead speed of 0.2 mm/min at room temperature. The mechanical parameters such as yield strength, maximum strength and uniform elongation were

Corresponding author. Tel.: + 98 3113915737; fax: + 98 3113912752. E-mail addresses: alishahi@ma.iut.ac.ir, alishahi_mostafa@yahoo.com (M. Alishahi). 0167-577X/$ see front matter 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.matlet.2011.09.066

260

H. Shah Hosseini / Materials Letters 67 (2012) 259262

Table 1 The chemical compositions of the base and ller metals used in this study. Elements (wt. %) BM FM 617 310 617 C 0.06 0.07 N 0.1 Si 0.11 1.58 1 Mn 0.06 0.95 1 Cu 0.12 0.13 0.5 Cr 21.84 24.23 22 Co 11.87 12 Mo 8.55 0.25 9 Al 0.68 0.02 1 Ti 0.32 0.6 Nb 0.07 1 Ni Bal. 18.96 Bal. Fe 1.35 Bal. 3

calculated using correlations given elsewhere [7]. Three tests were performed on the specimens from each zone and average values were reported here.

3. Results and discussion Fig. 1 shows the shear stress versus normalized displacement curves for the different zones of Inconel 617/310 SS dissimilar joint. The mechanical parameters, such as yield strength (YS), ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and ductility (u) were calculated from SPT curves. The weldment appearance is shown in Fig. 2A. As can be seen, the different zones of the joint are distinct and punched holes are visible in each zone. In Fig. 2B, the mechanical properties corresponding to the different zones are plotted against the distance from weld centerline. Based on the results, heat affected zone (HAZ) has a lower hardness values compared to those of the weld and base metal zones in both sides of the joint. In addition, the hardness values in Inconel 617 side of the joint are higher than those in the other side. It is also obvious that the yield and tensile strengths in the base metal zone (BM) are slightly higher than those in the HAZ in both sides. Furthermore, according to Fig. 2B, ductility is decreased in Inconel 617 and 310 SS sides of the joint when moving away from the weld centerline. Altogether, the weld metal zone exhibits the highest hardness, strength and even ductility values throughout the weldment. The SEM and optical micrographs of the different zones of Inconel 617/310 SS dissimilar joint are illustrated in Fig. 3. The microstructure of the weldment in 310 SS side is shown in Fig. 3A, in which the different zones are separated by dashed lines. According to this gure, the mean grain size of the base metal is about 185 m, while it is about 442 m in the heat-affected zone. This is due to the heat input from the welding, as a result of which grain growth has occurred in 310 SS HAZ. Since there is no allotropic transformation in the structure, the grain growth can be considered the main reason for the observed decrease in the hardness and strength values corresponding to this zone [1]. It is also expected that the higher grain size of the HAZ

would lead to an increase in the ductility [1], which is in accordance with SPT results (Fig. 2B). Fig. 3B presents the optical microstructure of Inconel 617 side of the joint. Welding zones are marked in Fig. 3B. EDS analysis indicated that the precipitates in the base metal microstructure are MoC7, Cr23C6 and Ti(C,N) [10], which may dissolve as a result of welding heat input. The embedded thermocouples recorded the maximum temperature of about 850 C for the Inconel 617 HAZ during the welding process. According to the literature, Ti(C,N) and MoC7 precipitates can be dissolved in the temperature range of 750900 C [11]. Since these precipitates are responsible for the strengthening of Inconel 617 alloy [10], their dissolution would end to a decrease in the mechanical properties of the Inconel 617 HAZ in comparison with the base metal zone. Moreover, the mean grain sizes of the Inconel 617 base metal zone and HAZ were measured to be about 201 and 321 m, respectively. As was mentioned before, this may be attributed to the occurrence of grain growth due to the welding heat input. The larger grain size caused by such grain growth is assumed to be another reason for the above-mentioned degradation in the mechanical properties (hardness, yield and ultimate strengths) of Inconel 617 HAZ [9]. Furthermore, the higher ductility of Inconel 617 HAZ compared to that of the base metal zone may be justied by the dissolution of precipitates and the occurrence of grain growth in the HAZ. Inconel 617 has more high-temperature resistance when compared with 310 SS, even though they are both known as hightemperature resistance materials. Consequently, grain growth and thereby hardness drop in the HAZ would be more pronounced during welding of 310 SS rather than Inconel 617, which is in accordance with the results. The SEM micrographs of the weld metal are illustrated in Fig. 3C and D. As can be seen from Fig. 3C, there are equiaxed dendrites in the microstructure. This type of microstructure inhibits the severe segregation of alloy elements and inclusions in interdendritic zones [1,9]. Consequently, the equiaxed dendrites in the microstructure would lead to an increase in the strength and ductility of the weld metal [9]. It is evident from Fig. 3D that the grain size of the center of weld metal is about 135 m and many small precipitates are uniformly distributed within grains and along grain boundaries. According to spot EDS analysis upon this precipitates, they are enriched by molybdenum and chromium. These precipitates act as efcient obstacles to the movement of dislocations and thereby hindering the occurrence of plastic deformation. Moreover, the grain boundary precipitates have an effective role in pinning the crystallographic component of solidication grain boundaries. They can also enhance the strength and creep resistance of the weld metal through the prevention of grain growth and grain boundary migration [9]. 4. Conclusion In the present study, the zonular mechanical properties of Inconel 617/310 SS dissimilar joints were investigated by performing shear punch tests and the following conclusions were drawn:

Fig. 1. Shear stress-normalized displacement curves for different zones of Inconel 617/310 SS dissimilar joint.

1 The weld metal zone exhibited the highest hardness, strength and even ductility values throughout the weldment.

H. Shah Hosseini / Materials Letters 67 (2012) 259262

261

Fig. 2. (A) Inconel 617/310 SS weldment appearance, (B) The variations of different mechanical parameters with distance from weld centerline.

Fig. 3. The optical microstructure of the Inconel 617/310 SS dissimilar joint: (A) 310 SS side and (B) Inconel 617 side. (C) and (D) The SEM micrographs of the weld metal.

262

H. Shah Hosseini / Materials Letters 67 (2012) 259262 [2] Lee HT, Jeng SL, Yen CH, Kuo TY. J Nucl Mater 2004;335:5969. [3] Dehmolaei R, Shamanian M, Kermanpur A. Mater Charact 2008;59:144754. [4] Rahman MS, Priyadarshan G, Raja KS, Nesbitt C, Misra M. Mech Mater 2009;41: 26170. [5] Ali MK, Hashmi MSJ, Yilbas BS. J Mater Process Technol 2001;118:459. [6] Guduru RK, Darling KA, Kishore R, Scattergood RO, Koch CC, Murty KL. Mater Sci Eng, A 2005;395:30714. [7] Hosseini SM, Najazadeh A, Kermanpur A. J Mater Process Technol 2011;211: 2306. [8] Sireesha M, Albert SK, Shankar V, Sundaresan S. J Nucl Mater 2000;279:6576. [9] DuPont JN, Lippold JC, Kiser SD. Welding metallurgy and weldability of nickelbase alloys. New Jersey: Wiley Inter Science; 2009. [10] Rahman S, Priyadarshan G, Raja KS, Nesbitt C, Misra M. Mater Lett 2008;62: 22636. [11] Gariboldi E, Cabibbo M, Spigarelli S, Ripamonti D. Int J Press Ves Pip 2008;85: 6371.

2 The hardness, yield and tensile strengths values of heat-affected zone were lower than those of base metal in the both sides of the joint. 3 Ductility was decreased in Inconel 617 and 310 SS sides of the joint when moving away from the weld centerline. 4 The occurrence of grain growth and the presence of precipitates were accounted for mechanical behavior change in different welding zones. References
[1] Lippold JC, Kotecki DJ. Welding metallurgy and weldability of stainless steels. New Jersey: Wiley Inter Science; 2005.