Abstract The purpose of the thesis is the research of metallurgical properties , mechanical properties and texture analyses of four magnesium-based materials during E-beam welding process. After rapid solidification, the welding properties of fusion zone of four materials are very well without obvious defects and hot cracking. The Surface and depth of the weld of three Mg alloys has stable performance without sputter with Al content increasing.

Haynes alloy 282 is a new gamma prime (γ’) precipitation strengthened nickel-base superalloy developed for high temperature applications in land-based and aero turbine engines. Joining is a crucial process both during the manufacturing of new components and repair of service-damaged turbine parts. Unfortunately, the new superalloy cracks during laser beam welding (LBW), which is an attractive technique for joining superalloys components due to its low heat input characteristic that preclude the geometrical distortion of welded components. This research is therefore initiated with the goal of studying and developing an effective approach for preventing or minimizing cracking during LBW of the new superalloy Haynes 282. Careful and detailed electron microscopy and spectroscopy study reveal, for the first time, the formation of sub-micron grain boundary M5B3 particles, in the material. Microstructural study of welded specimens coupled with Gleeble thermo-mechanical physical simulations shows that the primary cause of weld heat affected zone (HAZ) cracking in the alloy is the sub-solidus liquation reaction of intergranular M5B3 borides in the material. Further weldability study showed that the HAZ liquation cracking problem worsens with reduction in welding heat input, which is normally necessary to produce the desired weld geometry with minimum distortion. In order to minimize the HAZ cracking during low heat input laser welding, microstructural modification of the alloy by heat treatment at 1080 - 1100oC has been developed. The pre-weld heat treatment minimizes cracking in the alloy by reducing the volume fraction of the newly identified M5B3 borides, while also minimizing non-equilibrium grain boundary segregation of boron liberated during dissociation of the boride particles. Further improvement in resistance to cracking was produced by subjecting the material to thermo-mechanically induced grain refinement coupled with a pre-weld heat treatment at 1080oC. This approach produces, for the first time, crack-free welds in this superalloy, and the benefit of this procedure in preventing weld cracking in the new material is preserved after post-weld heat treatment (PWHT), as additional cracking was not observed in welded specimens subjected to PWHT.

Haynes alloy 282 is a new gamma prime (γ’) precipitation strengthened nickel-base superalloy developed for high temperature applications in land-based and aero turbine engines. Joining is a crucial process both during the manufacturing of new components and repair of service-damaged turbine parts. Unfortunately, the new superalloy cracks during laser beam welding (LBW), which is an attractive technique for joining superalloys components due to its low heat input characteristic that preclude the geometrical distortion of welded components. This research is therefore initiated with the goal of studying and developing an effective approach for preventing or minimizing cracking during LBW of the new superalloy Haynes 282. Careful and detailed electron microscopy and spectroscopy study reveal, for the first time, the formation of sub-micron grain boundary M5B3 particles, in the material. Microstructural study of welded specimens coupled with Gleeble thermo-mechanical physical simulations shows that the primary cause of weld heat affected zone (HAZ) cracking in the alloy is the sub-solidus liquation reaction of intergranular M5B3 borides in the material. Further weldability study showed that the HAZ liquation cracking problem worsens with reduction in welding heat input, which is normally necessary to produce the desired weld geometry with minimum distortion. In order to minimize the HAZ cracking during low heat input laser welding, microstructural modification of the alloy by heat treatment at 1080 - 1100oC has been developed. The pre-weld heat treatment minimizes cracking in the alloy by reducing the volume fraction of the newly identified M5B3 borides, while also minimizing non-equilibrium grain boundary segregation of boron liberated during dissociation of the boride particles. Further improvement in resistance to cracking was produced by subjecting the material to thermo-mechanically induced grain refinement coupled with a pre-weld heat treatment at 1080oC. This approach produces, for the first time, crack-free welds in this superalloy, and the benefit of this procedure in preventing weld cracking in the new material is preserved after post-weld heat treatment (PWHT), as additional cracking was not observed in welded specimens subjected to PWHT.

Precipitation strengthened nickel-base superalloys, such as IN 738, are very difficult to weld by fusion welding techniques due to their high susceptibility to heat-affected zone (HAZ) intergranular liquation cracking. An improvement in weldability could be realized by the deployment of innovative welding processes and/or the modification of the materials’ microstructural characteristics. Laser-arc hybrid welding is a relatively new welding process that appears to possess great potentials for joining the difficult-to-weld nickel-base superalloys. The research described in this Ph.D. dissertation was initiated to perform a systematic and comprehensive study of the cracking susceptibility of nickel-base IN 738 superalloy welds made by laser-arc hybrid welding process, and how to minimize it by using a combination of pre-weld microstructural modification and the application of various welding filler alloys. Laser-arc hybrid welding produced a desirable weld geometry in IN 738 Superalloy. Cracking did not occur exclusively in the fusion zone. Analysis of the fusion zone material using EPMA, SEM, TEM and EBSD revealed elemental partitioning pattern, the presence of secondary solidification reaction constituents and the grain structure of the fusion zone. Non-equilibrium liquation of various second phases that were present in the alloy prior to welding contributed to intergranular liquation in the HAZ that consequently resulted in extensive HAZ intergranular cracking. A very significant reduction in HAZ intergranular liquation cracking was achieved by the use of an industrially deployable and effective pre-weld thermal processing procedure developed during this research work. This novel procedure, designated as FUMT, was developed on the basis of the control of both boride formation and intergranular boron segregation in the pre-weld material. Propensity for HAZ intergranular liquation cracking in the weldments was also observed to vary depending on the Al+Ti+Nb+Ta concentration of the weld metal produced by different filler alloys, which can be attributed to variation in the extent of precipitation hardening in the weld metals. The newly developed FUMT treatment procedure, coupled with the selection of an appropriate type of filler alloy, is effective in reducing HAZ intergranular cracking both during laser-arc hybrid welding and during post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) of the laser-arc hybrid welded IN 738 superalloy.

Precipitation strengthened nickel-base superalloys, such as IN 738, are very difficult to weld by fusion welding techniques due to their high susceptibility to heat-affected zone (HAZ) intergranular liquation cracking. An improvement in weldability could be realized by the deployment of innovative welding processes and/or the modification of the materials’ microstructural characteristics. Laser-arc hybrid welding is a relatively new welding process that appears to possess great potentials for joining the difficult-to-weld nickel-base superalloys. The research described in this Ph.D. dissertation was initiated to perform a systematic and comprehensive study of the cracking susceptibility of nickel-base IN 738 superalloy welds made by laser-arc hybrid welding process, and how to minimize it by using a combination of pre-weld microstructural modification and the application of various welding filler alloys. Laser-arc hybrid welding produced a desirable weld geometry in IN 738 Superalloy. Cracking did not occur exclusively in the fusion zone. Analysis of the fusion zone material using EPMA, SEM, TEM and EBSD revealed elemental partitioning pattern, the presence of secondary solidification reaction constituents and the grain structure of the fusion zone. Non-equilibrium liquation of various second phases that were present in the alloy prior to welding contributed to intergranular liquation in the HAZ that consequently resulted in extensive HAZ intergranular cracking. A very significant reduction in HAZ intergranular liquation cracking was achieved by the use of an industrially deployable and effective pre-weld thermal processing procedure developed during this research work. This novel procedure, designated as FUMT, was developed on the basis of the control of both boride formation and intergranular boron segregation in the pre-weld material. Propensity for HAZ intergranular liquation cracking in the weldments was also observed to vary depending on the Al+Ti+Nb+Ta concentration of the weld metal produced by different filler alloys, which can be attributed to variation in the extent of precipitation hardening in the weld metals. The newly developed FUMT treatment procedure, coupled with the selection of an appropriate type of filler alloy, is effective in reducing HAZ intergranular cracking both during laser-arc hybrid welding and during post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) of the laser-arc hybrid welded IN 738 superalloy.

Ziel der Dissertation ist die ebenso valide wie effiziente Vorhersage der Schmelz- und der Wärmeeinflusszone der Schweißverbindung beim Thermit-Schweißen. Dazu werden reduzierte Modelle vorgestellt, darunter ein niederdimensionales Modell des Schienenstegs und dreidimensionale Modelle des Gießsystems für das Schweißverfahren. Mit dem niederdimensionalen Modell werden mittels Parameterschätzung unbekannte Randbedingungen der Vorwärmung des Gießsystems ermittelt sowie mittels Sensitivitätsanalyse systematisch Einflüsse auf die Schmelz- und die Wärmeeinflusszone untersucht. Durch den systematischen Vergleich der vorgestellten Modelle werden Gültigkeitsgrenzen der Modelle gezielt auf die Modellreduktionen zurückgeführt und über die Modelle hinausgehende Aspekte für die Beschreibung des Schmelz- und Erstarrungsverhaltens identifiziert. Dabei wird die Validität der Modelle anhand von experimentellen Daten der Schmelz- und der Wärmeeinflusszone im Schienenlängsschnitt untersucht. / This dissertation aims at providing a valid and efficient prediction of the melting zone and heat-affected zone of thermite welds. For this purpose, reduced models are presented, including a low-dimensional model of the rail web and three-dimensional models of the casting system for the welding process. With the low-dimensional model, unknown boundary conditions of the preheating of the casting system are determined by means of parameter estimation and influences on the melting zone and the heat-affected zone are systematically examined by means of a sensitivity analysis. By a systematic comparison of the models presented, the validity limits of the models are specifically traced back to the model reductions and aspects beyond these models for the description of the melting and solidification behavior are identified. The validity of the models is examined on the basis of experimental data from the melting zone and the heat-affected zone in the longitudinal section of the rails.