Simulation of the elastic deformation of laser-welded joints of an austenitic corrosion-resistant steel and a titanium alloy with an intermediate copper insert

Abstract

The macro- and microstructures and the distribution of elements and of the values of the microhardness and contact modulus of elasticity along the height and width of the weld metal and heat-affected zone of austenitic corrosion-resistant 12Kh18N10T steel (Russian analog of AISI 321) and titanium alloy VT1-0 (Grade 2) with an intermediate copper insert have been studied after laser welding under different conditions. The structural inhomogeneity of the joint obtained according to one of the regimes selected has been shown: the material of the welded joint represents a supersaturated solid solution of Fe, Ni, Cr, and Ti in the crystal lattice of copper with a uniformly distributed particles of intermetallic compounds Ti(Fe,Cr) and TiCu3. At the boundaries with steel and with the titanium alloy, diffusion zones with thicknesses of 0.1–0.2 mm are formed that represent supersaturated solid solutions based on iron and titanium. The strength of such a joint was 474 MPa, which corresponds to the level of strength of the titanium alloy. A numerical simulation of the mechanical behavior of welded joints upon the elastic tension–compression has been performed taking into account their structural state, which makes it possible to determine the amplitude values of the deformations of the material of the weld.