Infrared repair brazing of 403 stainless steel with a nickel-based braze alloy
Journal
Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A: Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science
Journal Volume
33
Journal Issue
6
Pages
1765-1773
Date Issued
2002
Author(s)
Abstract
Martensitic stainless steel (403SS) is extensively used for intermediate and low-pressure steam turbine blades in fossil-fuel power plants. The purpose of this investigation is to study the repair of shallow cracks on the surface of 403SS steam turbine blades by infrared repair brazing using rapid thermal cycles. A nickel-based braze alloy (NICROBRAZ LM) is used as filler metal. The braze alloy after brazing is primarily comprised of borides and an FeNi3 matrix with different amounts of alloying elements, especially B and Si. As the brazing temperature increases, more Fe atoms are dissolved into the molten braze. Some boron atoms diffuse into the 403SS substrate primarily via grain boundary diffusion and form B-Cr-Fe intermetallic precipitates along the grain boundaries. The LM filler metal demonstrates better performance than 403SS in both microhardness and wear tests. It is also noted that specimens brazed in a vacuum have less porosity than those brazed in an Ar atmosphere. The shear strength of the joint is around 300 MPa except for specimens brazed in short time periods, e.g., 5 seconds in Ar flow and 30 seconds in vacuum. The fractographs mainly consist of brittle fractures and no ductile dimple fractures observed in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) examination.
SDGs
Type
journal article