Nano-structural and Nano-chemical analysis of dissimilar metal weld interfaces

Dissimilar metal weld is generally applied to nuclear power plant for manufacturing and machining in structural components such as RPV and Pressurizer nozzles. Alloy 152 is used frequently as filler metal in the manufacture of dissimilar metal welds (DMWs) in light water reactors (LWR) to join the low alloy steel (LAS) pressure vessel nozzles and steam generator nozzles to nickel-based wrought alloy or austenitic stainless steel components. The thermal expansion coefficient of the alloy lies between those of ferrite steel and austenitic stainless steel, and it also significantly retards the carbon diffusion from the ferrite base metal to the weld metal. However, in recent years cracking phenomena have been observed in the welded joints. A concern has been raised about the integrity and reliability in the joint transition zone due to the high susceptibility of heat affected zone (HAZ) and fusion zone (FZ) to stress corrosion cracking (SCC). The dissimilar metal joints which were welded between Inconel 690, Ni-based alloy and A533B, low alloy steel with Inconel 152, filler metal were investigated. This study shows microstructural and chemical analysis between Inconel 152 and A533B by using optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and 3 dimension atom probe (3D AP). In the root region, OM and SEM analysis show the microstructure which contains the interface of Inconel 152 and A533B near the rooter region. And it shows unidentified band structure which is formed along weld interface. AP and TEM/EDS analyses show the chemical gradient containing higher Fe but lower Mn, Ni and Cr than Inconel 152 and the unidentified band