How ultrafine particles of tungsten monocarbide affect the welded-metal structure

Statement of problem (relevance): the paper describes the problem of structure formation in welding low-carbon low-alloy steels. The weld metal structure forms in a complex thermal environment that predetermines the operating performance of the metal. Emergence of large columnar crystals in welds poses a potential hazard, as such structures may under certain conditions concentrate the tension and trigger destruction. The paper dwells upon the possibility of controlling the primary structure of welded metal by injecting nano- and ultrafine particles of a refractory material into the weld pool. The objective is to study how nano- and ultrafine particles of tungsten monocarbide WC) affect the structure of welded metal. Methods used: the researchers have carried out a laboratory experiment consisting in making electrodes with a coating containing a varying amount of ultrafine WC powder, then making welded-metal samples and studying the samples by optical microscopy (a Micromed-Met microscope) as well as measuring the Vickers hardness (a HV-1000 device). The novelty of this research consists in gathering new data on how the concentration of ultrafine WC powder in the electrode coating affects the structure of welded metal. The results: the structure of metal welded by electrodes with a coating containing 0, 0.02, or 0.2 % of WC powder (% of dry-mix weight) features columnar crystals surrounded by a grid of peripheral ferrite formed along the primary-grain boundaries. Needle-like inclusions of Widmanstätten ferrite sprouting from the crystal edges to the crystal center are observed along with bainitic structures. Electrodes with a coating containing 0.4% of WC powder produce welded metal of a finer cellular structure in the form of equiaxed crystals. The hardness of the welded-metal samples is within 184 to 189 HV. Practical significance: the research has produced data necessary for creating new coated electrodes for welding and surfacing low-carbon low-alloy steels.