Microstructural studies of P91 and SS304L dissimilar welding

Abstract

P91 and 9Cr1Mo bimetallic amalgamation are extensively used in power generation and nuclear reactor projects. Various characteristics like weldability, microstructure analysis of welded, HAZ and base and mechanical strength of dissimilar joining P91 and SS304L-16L welds using Gas Tungsten Arc Welding Processes (GTAW) were explored in this work. In the gas tungsten arc welding process, two fillers, 309L-16L and ERNiCr-3, were used. Any weldment has its own structure–property, and the relations between them have been studied. Microstructural improvements and mechanical characterization, including hardness rating, tensile strength andimpact strengthwere evaluated through experimentation. The ERNiCr − 3 filler had a stronger weld than the SS309L filler, but the weld zone was where the failure occurred. To analyse the structure–property relationships, additional optical microscopy and SEM/EDAX results were compared on the weldments. Fabricators and dissimilar weldments used in power plants and nuclear reactors will benefit from these tests.