Microscopic examination of an Alloy 600/182 weld

A microscopic study was carried out to examine the microstructural and compositional features of an Alloy 600/182 weldment. The grain boundaries of the Alloy 600 base metal consisted of low angle boundaries (4.4%), coincidence site lattice boundaries including twins (46.6%), and random high angle grain boundaries (49.0%). The precipitates in the matrix of Alloy 600 were identified as Cr7C3, irrespective of the intergranular and intragranular ones. The microstructure of the Alloy 182 weld metal consisted of cellular dendrites in the grains epitaxially solidified from the heat affected zone, and the Mn concentration increased periodically across the dendritic interfaces. Contrary to the Alloy 600 base metal, most of the grain boundaries of the Alloy 182 weld metal were low angle and random high angle grain boundaries, with a negligible fraction of coincidence site lattice boundaries. Tiny Cr-rich M23C6 and Nb carbides were distributed on the grain boundaries in the weld metal, and a Cr-depletion zone was formed due to the Cr carbide precipitation. Precipitates of (Nb,Ti)C, Al2O3 type and TiO2 type oxides were found in the Alloy 182 weld metal.