Revestimentos de liga de níquel depositados pelo processo TIG com alimentação de arame frio: aspectos operacionais e metalúrgicos

Abstract

The weld overlay with nickel-based alloys is an interesting alternative for the construction and repair of equipments for applications in severe corrosive medium, allowing reach the desirable characteristics (corrosion resistance) with a significant reduction of cost. In this context, the GTAW cold wire feed process can be a good option for overlay deposition, since the welding parameters are correctly adjusted. The main objective of the present work was to evaluate and to optimize the operational and metallurgical characteristics of nickel-based alloys weld overlays deposited by the GTAW cold wire feed on C-Mn steel plates. The nickelbased alloys AWS ER Ni-Cr-Mo 3; AWS ER Ni-Cr-Mo 4 and AWS ER Ni-Cr-Mo 14 were studied in the this work. The welds were performed initially in single weld bead and later in multipass to produce the coating, changing several operational parameters. The microstructure was investigated using light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive of X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Potentiodynamics polarization analysis and wheel rubber wear test were used to evaluate the corrosion and abrasive wear resistance, respectively. The results showed that the GTAW cold wire feed process demonstrated to be an interesting option for the weld overlay with nickel-base alloys, could deposit in just one layer, coatings with dilution levels inferior or very close to 5%, important characteristics to assure a good performance of the coatings. The microstructure of the coatings deposited with AWS ER NiCrMo-3 alloy was constituted by the γ-matrix and secondary phases Nb-rich (Laves phase and Nb-Ti carbide/nitrides). It was observed that the precipitates with cuboidal and cruciform morphologies are formed by a complex structure constituted by titanium-niobium nitride (TiNbN) as nucleus and niobium carbide (NbC) or niobium-titanium (NbTiC) carbide as shell. The microstructure of the coatings deposited with the AWS ER NiCrMo-4 and AWS ER NiCrMo-13 alloys were constituted by the γ-matrix and secondary phases Mo-rich (σ, P and μ phases). It was identified a Mo depletion around the precipitates rich in Mo, causing a drop in the corrosion resistance. The potentiodynamic polarization was not shown capable to evaluate the behavior of the coatings for the pitting corrosion. The low level of hardness of the matrix associated with a small volumetric fraction of secondary phases (hard precipitates) resulted in a low abrasive wear resistance.