Structural and Mechanical Evaluation of Dissimilar Transient Liquid Phase Bonded IN-625 /SS-316L

In the present study, the microstructure and mechanical properties of the dissimilar joint of Inconel 625 (IN-625) superalloy to austenitic stainless steel AISI316L (SS-316L) via AWS-BNi3 interface layer and transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding process were evaluated and necessary conditions for creating an efficient joint were determined. TLP bonding was performed in temperature and time range of 1050-1150ºC and 5-20min, respectively, under the protection of argon shielding gas with a purity of 99.9995%. Microstructural (OM and SEM) and phase (XRD) studies revealed that bonding at 1150 ° C for 20 min results in completion of isothermal solidification and develops a uniform gamma (γ) phase at the bonding zone. Cooling the samples before completion of isothermal solidification results in the formation of chromium and molybdenum-rich eutectic compounds at the bonding centerline. The continuous morphology of the eutectic compounds caused a sharp drop in the shear strength of the specimens (~50% reduction of shear strength). The inter-diffusion of alloying elements between the bonding area and the surrounding base metal results in the formation of chromium carbide in the IN-625 and chromium- boron compounds in the SS-316L, which increased the microhardness of these areas compared to the base metals and the bonding zone.