Comparison of Hot Wire TIG Stellite 6 weld cladding and lost wax cast Stellite 6 under corrosive wear conditions

Abstract

This study compares Hot Wire Tungsten Inert Gas Stellite 6 weld cladding on a low carbon steel substrate with a lost wax cast Stellite 6 in impingement erosion-corrosion conditions. Austenitic stainless steel samples were used as a reference material. Tests were conducted in a closed loop impinged slurry vessel with a jet velocity of 18 m/s with 3.5%NaCl aqueous solution containing 500 µm spherical silica sand particles (0.5 g/l sand concentration). The testing temperature was 40 °C. Mass loss measurements and a volumetric analysis as well as microstructural evaluation were used as post-test analysis techniques. Results showed that weld cladding and lost wax cast Stellite 6 performed better than the stainless steel, with the weld cladding marginally outperforming the lost wax cast technique.