Effect of reduced ambient pressure on weld formability, microstructure and corrosion behaviors in laser beam welding of zirconium alloy
Welding zirconium alloys is a critical challenge in the nuclear industry owing to their high sensitivity to hydrogen and oxygen at high temperatures. This study explored the feasibility of vacuum laser welding as an alternative to conventional electron beam welding. The effects of reduced ambient pr...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Materials Research and Technology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425012931 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850149240337072128 |
|---|---|
| author | Lianfeng Wei Yumo Jiang Di Xie Yong Zheng Shengkui Zhang Peicheng Lin Meng Jiang Xi Chen Peng He Yanbin Chen |
| author_facet | Lianfeng Wei Yumo Jiang Di Xie Yong Zheng Shengkui Zhang Peicheng Lin Meng Jiang Xi Chen Peng He Yanbin Chen |
| author_sort | Lianfeng Wei |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Welding zirconium alloys is a critical challenge in the nuclear industry owing to their high sensitivity to hydrogen and oxygen at high temperatures. This study explored the feasibility of vacuum laser welding as an alternative to conventional electron beam welding. The effects of reduced ambient pressure on weld formability, microstructure, and corrosion behavior were investigated. The results indicated a significant increase in the weld penetration depth and aspect ratio as the ambient pressure decreased from 101 kPa to 0.1 kPa. Low-vacuum conditions produced sound welds with improved surface quality and high aspect ratios. The molten pool and keyhole behaviors at different ambient pressures were experimentally and theoretically studied. The results revealed that a reduced ambient pressure transformed the welding process from thermal conductivity welding to deep keyhole welding. A larger molten pool and stable keyhole were observed in low vacuum, whereas atmospheric conditions resulted in a smaller molten pool obscured by bright plasma plumes. Microstructural analysis of welds under atmospheric and low-vacuum conditions revealed the growth of columnar crystals from both sides toward the center. Moreover, larger equiaxed crystals were observed in vacuum-welded joints owing to prolonged exposure to high temperatures, resulting from the increased heat input under low-vacuum conditions. A high-temperature, high-pressure corrosion test demonstrated that oxide film thickness gradually decreased with decreasing environmental pressure. The weld produced at 0.1 kPa exhibited excellent corrosion resistance, forming a black oxide film with good adhesion. This oxide film enhances the corrosion resistance of the weld, making it suitable for nuclear applications. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ccf4d432f4704b0b9eccc59a44714dfd |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2238-7854 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Materials Research and Technology |
| spelling | doaj-art-ccf4d432f4704b0b9eccc59a44714dfd2025-08-20T02:26:59ZengElsevierJournal of Materials Research and Technology2238-78542025-05-01369369937710.1016/j.jmrt.2025.05.138Effect of reduced ambient pressure on weld formability, microstructure and corrosion behaviors in laser beam welding of zirconium alloyLianfeng Wei0Yumo Jiang1Di Xie2Yong Zheng3Shengkui Zhang4Peicheng Lin5Meng Jiang6Xi Chen7Peng He8Yanbin Chen9State Key Laboratory of Precision Welding & Joining of Materials and Structures, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China; National Key Laboratory for Science and Technology on Reactor and Materials, Nuclear Power Institute of China, Chengdu, 610041, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Precision Welding & Joining of Materials and Structures, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, ChinaNational Key Laboratory for Science and Technology on Reactor and Materials, Nuclear Power Institute of China, Chengdu, 610041, ChinaNational Key Laboratory for Science and Technology on Reactor and Materials, Nuclear Power Institute of China, Chengdu, 610041, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Precision Welding & Joining of Materials and Structures, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Precision Welding & Joining of Materials and Structures, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Precision Welding & Joining of Materials and Structures, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China; Suzhou Research Institute, Harbin Institute of Technology, Suzhou, 215128, China; Corresponding author. State Key Laboratory of Precision Welding & Joining of Materials and Structures, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China.State Key Laboratory of Precision Welding & Joining of Materials and Structures, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China; Zhengzhou Research Institute, Harbin Institute of Technology, Zhengzhou, 450046, China; Corresponding author. State Key Laboratory of Precision Welding & Joining of Materials and Structures, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China.State Key Laboratory of Precision Welding & Joining of Materials and Structures, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Precision Welding & Joining of Materials and Structures, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China; Zhengzhou Research Institute, Harbin Institute of Technology, Zhengzhou, 450046, ChinaWelding zirconium alloys is a critical challenge in the nuclear industry owing to their high sensitivity to hydrogen and oxygen at high temperatures. This study explored the feasibility of vacuum laser welding as an alternative to conventional electron beam welding. The effects of reduced ambient pressure on weld formability, microstructure, and corrosion behavior were investigated. The results indicated a significant increase in the weld penetration depth and aspect ratio as the ambient pressure decreased from 101 kPa to 0.1 kPa. Low-vacuum conditions produced sound welds with improved surface quality and high aspect ratios. The molten pool and keyhole behaviors at different ambient pressures were experimentally and theoretically studied. The results revealed that a reduced ambient pressure transformed the welding process from thermal conductivity welding to deep keyhole welding. A larger molten pool and stable keyhole were observed in low vacuum, whereas atmospheric conditions resulted in a smaller molten pool obscured by bright plasma plumes. Microstructural analysis of welds under atmospheric and low-vacuum conditions revealed the growth of columnar crystals from both sides toward the center. Moreover, larger equiaxed crystals were observed in vacuum-welded joints owing to prolonged exposure to high temperatures, resulting from the increased heat input under low-vacuum conditions. A high-temperature, high-pressure corrosion test demonstrated that oxide film thickness gradually decreased with decreasing environmental pressure. The weld produced at 0.1 kPa exhibited excellent corrosion resistance, forming a black oxide film with good adhesion. This oxide film enhances the corrosion resistance of the weld, making it suitable for nuclear applications.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425012931Vacuum laser beam weldingZirconium alloyWeld formabilityMicrostructureCorrosion behavior |
| spellingShingle | Lianfeng Wei Yumo Jiang Di Xie Yong Zheng Shengkui Zhang Peicheng Lin Meng Jiang Xi Chen Peng He Yanbin Chen Effect of reduced ambient pressure on weld formability, microstructure and corrosion behaviors in laser beam welding of zirconium alloy Journal of Materials Research and Technology Vacuum laser beam welding Zirconium alloy Weld formability Microstructure Corrosion behavior |
| title | Effect of reduced ambient pressure on weld formability, microstructure and corrosion behaviors in laser beam welding of zirconium alloy |
| title_full | Effect of reduced ambient pressure on weld formability, microstructure and corrosion behaviors in laser beam welding of zirconium alloy |
| title_fullStr | Effect of reduced ambient pressure on weld formability, microstructure and corrosion behaviors in laser beam welding of zirconium alloy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of reduced ambient pressure on weld formability, microstructure and corrosion behaviors in laser beam welding of zirconium alloy |
| title_short | Effect of reduced ambient pressure on weld formability, microstructure and corrosion behaviors in laser beam welding of zirconium alloy |
| title_sort | effect of reduced ambient pressure on weld formability microstructure and corrosion behaviors in laser beam welding of zirconium alloy |
| topic | Vacuum laser beam welding Zirconium alloy Weld formability Microstructure Corrosion behavior |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425012931 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lianfengwei effectofreducedambientpressureonweldformabilitymicrostructureandcorrosionbehaviorsinlaserbeamweldingofzirconiumalloy AT yumojiang effectofreducedambientpressureonweldformabilitymicrostructureandcorrosionbehaviorsinlaserbeamweldingofzirconiumalloy AT dixie effectofreducedambientpressureonweldformabilitymicrostructureandcorrosionbehaviorsinlaserbeamweldingofzirconiumalloy AT yongzheng effectofreducedambientpressureonweldformabilitymicrostructureandcorrosionbehaviorsinlaserbeamweldingofzirconiumalloy AT shengkuizhang effectofreducedambientpressureonweldformabilitymicrostructureandcorrosionbehaviorsinlaserbeamweldingofzirconiumalloy AT peichenglin effectofreducedambientpressureonweldformabilitymicrostructureandcorrosionbehaviorsinlaserbeamweldingofzirconiumalloy AT mengjiang effectofreducedambientpressureonweldformabilitymicrostructureandcorrosionbehaviorsinlaserbeamweldingofzirconiumalloy AT xichen effectofreducedambientpressureonweldformabilitymicrostructureandcorrosionbehaviorsinlaserbeamweldingofzirconiumalloy AT penghe effectofreducedambientpressureonweldformabilitymicrostructureandcorrosionbehaviorsinlaserbeamweldingofzirconiumalloy AT yanbinchen effectofreducedambientpressureonweldformabilitymicrostructureandcorrosionbehaviorsinlaserbeamweldingofzirconiumalloy |