Study of interface and base metal microstructures in explosive clad joint of Ti–5Ta–1·8Nb and 304L stainless steel

Abstract

This paper presents the microstructural modification in a dissimilar joint of Ti–5Ta–1·8Nb alloy with 304L austenitic stainless steel, fabricated using explosive cladding process. The interface had a wavy nature with occasional presence of shrinkage cavities and solidified melt zones. X‐ray Rietveld and electron microprobe based analysis did not reveal the presence of intermetallic phases at the weld interface within their detection limits. Evidences for the transformation of fcc to bct phases in 304L stainless steel and formation of metastable fcc phase in Ti–Ta–Nb alloy, not predicted in the phase diagram are provided. These phase transformations are understood in terms of severe plastic deformation during explosive cladding process.

Keywords:

• Explosive cladding
• Ti–5Ta–1·8Nb
• 304L stainless steel
• Deformation
• Phase transformation

The authors thank Dr Baldev Raj, Director of Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research and Dr T. Jayakumar, Director of Metallurgy and Materials Group for their encouragement and support throughout the period of this project. The authors are also thankful to M/s Gulf Oil Corporation (Hyderabad, India), Rourkela for carrying out the explosive welding.