Finite Element Modeling of Residual Stress at Joint Interface of Titanium Alloy and 17-4PH Stainless Steel

Nana Kwabena Adomako,Jeoung Han Kim,Se-Hwan Lee,Ji Hong Yoon,Sung Hoon Kim

doi:10.3390/met11040629

Abstract

Residual stress is a crucial element in determining the integrity of parts and lifetime of additively manufactured structures. In stainless steel and Ti-6Al-4V fabricated joints, residual stress causes cracking and delamination of the brittle intermetallic joint interface. Knowledge of the degree of residual stress at the joint interface is, therefore, important; however, the available information is limited owing to the joint’s brittle nature and its high failure susceptibility. In this study, the residual stress distribution during the deposition of 17-4PH stainless steel on Ti-6Al-4V alloy was predicted using Simufact additive software based on the finite element modeling technique. A sharp stress gradient was revealed at the joint interface, with compressive stress on the Ti-6Al-4V side and tensile stress on the 17-4PH side. This distribution is attributed to the large difference in the coefficients of thermal expansion of the two metals. The 17-4PH side exhibited maximum equivalent stress of 500 MPa, which was twice that of the Ti-6Al-4V side (240 MPa). This showed good correlation with the thermal residual stress calculations of the alloys. The thermal history predicted via simulation at the joint interface was within the temperature range of 368–477 °C and was highly congruent with that obtained in the actual experiment, approximately 300–450 °C. In the actual experiment, joint delamination occurred, ascribable to the residual stress accumulation and multiple additive manufacturing (AM) thermal cycles on the brittle FeTi and Fe2Ti intermetallic joint interface. The build deflected to the side at an angle of 0.708° after the simulation. This study could serve as a valid reference for engineers to understand the residual stress development in 17-4PH and Ti-6Al-4V joints fabricated with AM.

Highlights

Owing to its excellent metallurgical and mechanical properties, including high strengthto-weight ratio and excellent heat and corrosion resistances, Ti-6Al-4V has garnered significant interest in structural engineering [1]
To examine the stress at the inner region of the joint interface, the build was sectioned in half
There was a steep stress gradient at the inner section of the joint interface; the maximum tensile stress occurred at the interface closer to the 17-4PH stainless steel, whereas compressive stress occurred at the Ti-6Al-V side

Summary

Introduction

Owing to its excellent metallurgical and mechanical properties, including high strengthto-weight ratio and excellent heat and corrosion resistances, Ti-6Al-4V has garnered significant interest in structural engineering [1] It is often used in the nuclear power, chemical, transportation, and aerospace industries [2]. A hybrid structure comprising Ti-6Al-4V and 17-4PH could, balance the economic and quality aspects for structural applications [3,4,5] The formation of such an hybrid structure or dissimilar joint involves using (i) a fusion welding process such as laser and electron beam welding and (ii) solid-state welding, including diffusion bonding, friction welding, and explosive welding [6,7,8,9]. These techniques are restricted in terms of their capability to fabricate dissimilar parts or structures with complex geometries

Objectives

Results

Conclusion