G. Phanikumar

Modelling of transport phenomena in laser surface alloying with distributed species mass source

In this paper, a three-dimensional transient macroscopic numerical model is developed for the description of transport phenomena during laser surface alloying. In order to make accurate estimates for the species composition distribution during the process, the addition of alloying elements is formulated by devising a species generation term for the solute transport equation. By employing a particle-tracking algorithm and a simultaneous particle-melting consideration, the species source term is estimated by the amount of fusion of a spherical particle as it passes through a particular control volume. Numerical simulations are performed for two cases. The first case corresponds to aluminium as alloying element on a nickel substrate, while the second case is for alloying nickel on aluminium substrate. It is observed for the latter case that the melting of the alloying element is not instantaneous, and hence it cannot be modelled as a species mass flux boundary condition at the top surface. The predicted results are compared with experiments, and the agreement is found to be good.

Modelling of transport phenomena in laser welding of dissimilar metals

The transport phenomena (heat transfer, fluid flow and species distribution) are numerically modelled for the case of laser welding of dissimilar metals. The model involves convection in the weld pool along with melting and mixing. The associated metallurgical phenomenon is an extremely complex one, and the present work is a preliminary attempt to model the process after making suitable assumptions. The numerical study is performed using a pressure based finite volume technique after making appropriate modifications to the algorithm to include the associated phase change processes and dissimilarity in the metal properties. The phase change process is modelled using an enthalpy‐porosity technique, while the dissimilar metal properties are handled using appropriate mixture theories. As a case study, we have used dissimilar couples of copper‐nickel. It is observed that the weld pool shape becomes asymmetric even when the heat source is symmetrically applied on the two metals forming the couple. As the weld p...

Disorder trapping and grain refinement during solidification of undercooled Fe–18 at% Ge melts

The electromagnetic levitation technique has been used to systematically study microstructure evolution and growth rate as a function of undercooling in concentrated Fe–18 at% Ge alloy. The samples are undercooled to a maximum of 240 K. Growth-rate analysis and transmission electron microscopy reveal that, beyond an undercooling of 120 K, the primary phase to solidify is disordered. Microstructural investigations show a decrease in grain size with increasing undercooling. Orientation-imaging microscopy using electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) and microhardness measurements have been used to show that recovery and recrystallization play a significant role in the evolution of final microstructure. Microstructural evolution has also been discussed in light of current models of dendrite growth and grain refinement.

Improvement of mechanical properties of gas tungsten arc and electron beam welded AA2219 (Al–6 wt-%Cu) alloy

Abstract Despite its excellent weldability characteristics, AA2219 suffers from poor fusion zone strength under the as welded condition. In the present work, it is attempted to increase the mechanical properties of the as welded fusion zone of this alloy by increasing the weld cooling rates and multipass welding. The cooling rate was increased with the use of high intense heat source, namely electron beam in a pulsed current mode. Multipass gas tungsten arc welding was carried out using direct current straight polarity. These techniques resulted in a significant improvement in fusion zone hardness and tensile properties, which is attributed to reduced copper segregation and natural aging as well as aging caused by heat of multipass welding.

Transport phenomena in laser surface alloying

A three dimensional, transient model is developed for studying heat transfer, fluid flow and mass transfer for the case of a single-pass laser surface alloying process. The numerical study is performed in a co-ordinate system fixed to the laser which moves with a constant scanning speed. The coupled momentum, energy and species conservation equations are solved using a finite volume technique. Phase change processes are modelled using a fixed-grid enthalpy-porosity technique, which is capable of predicting the continuously evolving solid-liquid interface. The three-dimensional model is able to predict the species concentration distribution inside the molten pool during alloying, as well as in the entire cross section of the solidified alloy. Corresponding experimental results show a good qualitative agreement with the numerical predictions with regard to pool shape and final composition distribution.

Continuous welding of Cu-Ni dissimilar couple using

Abstract The evolution of microstructure during continuous laser welding of dissimilar metals has been studied for a binary Cu–Ni couple. The effects of laser beam scan speed and laser power on the shape and size of the melt pool, the weldment–substrate interface, the composition profiles, and microstructures of the weldments have been investigated. It is shown that the melt pools exhibit a characteristic asymmetry in shape. The observed microstructure is characterised by the existence of compositional and microstructural variations leading to a banded appearance suggesting localised mixing. Distinct differences exist in the evolution of the microstructure in the copper and nickel sides of the weld pool. An attempt is made to explain some of the experimental observations using thermodynamic and thermal transport arguments.

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Microstructure development during MIG welding of copper with iron filler has been studied to gain insight to the process of dissimilar welding. The microstructure of the iron rich bids consist of martensitic bcc iron with cellular network of fcc copper. The scale of network depends on the processing conditions. However, the average composition remains fairly uniform with 20at% Cu excepting at the boundary regions of the bid and the copper plates. A characteristic banded structure could be observed in these regions whose width scales with traverse speed. Evidence of phase separated copper globule suggests access to the submerged miscibility gap and significant undercooling of the melt during welding.

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Friction surfacing is a novel solid state surface coating process with several advantages over conventional fusion welding based surfacing processes. In this work, austenitic stainless steel (AISI 310) and tool steel (H13) coatings were friction deposited on mild steel substrates for corrosion and wear protection, respectively. Microstructural studies were carried out by using optical and scanning electron microscopy. Shear tests and bend tests (ASTM A264) were conducted to assess the integrity of the coatings. This study brings out the microstructural features across the coating/substrate interface and its mechanical properties, showing good metallurgical bonding between stainless steel and tool steel coating over mild steel.

Microstructural development of dissimilar weldments: case of MIG welding of Cu with Fe filler

In the present article, evolution of microstructure during solidification, as a function of various parameters, is discussed. Macrosegregation is described as being due to insufficient diffusivity of solute in the solid. Pattern formation is discussed in the light of instabilities at the solidification growth front. An overview of the scaling relations for various microstructures is given. Metastable extensions to equilibrium phase diagrams and corrections to equilibrium quantities are described.

Microstructure and Properties of Friction Surfaced Stainless Steel and Tool Steel Coatings

The Ni2FeGa Heusler alloy is synthesized by arc melting in argon atmosphere. It shows two phase microstructure, γ-phase ( disordered fcc ) and Austenite ( ordered bcc, L21 ). Phase identification and microstructural characterization were carried out using XRD, SEM and TEM. Solidification at various undercoolings upto 215 °C was performed using flux undercooling technique. B2O3 was used as the flux that provides an inert atmosphere and isolates the molten pool from the quartz tube. The solidified microstructure of the undercooled samples were analyzed and the result indicates γ-phase to be the primary phase to form. The samples are also textured. XRD patterns indicate different texture at different undercoolings. Possible mechanisms for such changes will be discussed. The competitive nucleation mechanism can not also be ruled out as the SEM micrographs show the globular morphology of γ-phase likely due to defragmentation of primary dendrites. Thermal analysis by DSC shows incongruent melting of Ni2FeGa Heusler alloy which strengthen the argument of poor nucleation ability of L21 ordered intermetallic austenite phase as compared to primary γ-phase. Up to achieved undercooling limits, γ-phase forms as the primary phase competitively with the L21 ordered phase. Studies indicate that competitive nucleation mechanism is a likely mechanism to explain the phase selection.