[en] This study determined the stress corrosion cracking behaviour of austenitic alloys in pure supercritical water. Austenitic stainless steels 310S, 316L, and Inconel 625 were tested as static capsule samples at 500"oC for up to 5000 h. After that period, crack initiations were readily observed in all samples, signifying susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking. The microcracks in 316L stainless steel and Inconel 625 were almost intergranular, whereas transgranular microcrack initiation was observed in 310S stainless steel. (author)

[en] In the present study, the effect of exposure duration on the corrosion and stress corrosion cracking of 310 stainless steel tube in a supercritical water environment was investigated at 500"oC in a decreasing dissolved oxygen regime. Oxide films formed three distinct layers after exposure to SCW for 2500 hours.On the outer layer, large magnetite crystals were observed which were tiny on the surface after exposed for 500 hours. In the middle-oxide layer, the concentrations of iron, chromium and nickel were close to those in the substrate. In the inner layer, chromium was enriched while iron was depleted. With increasing exposure duration, the thickness of the oxide layer increased. In the sub-layers of magnetite crystals, some iron-deficient regions were seen because of the selective outward diffusion of iron.Some micro cracks started to form from those iron-deficient regions. (author)

[en] Highlights: • Tool geometry, rotation and travel speeds show great effect on the microstructure stability of FSW joint. • Increasing rotation and travel speeds resulted in increasing the tensile strength and ductility of the joints. • Better intermixing between Al/Mg alloys was obtained by tapered threaded pin. • A mechanical interlocking mechanism proposed for higher ductility and superior tensile properties in FSW joints. - Abstract: Lap joint friction stir welding (FSW) between dissimilar AZ31B and Al 6061 alloys sheets was conducted using various welding parameters including tool geometry, rotation and travel speeds. Tapered threaded pin and tapered pin tools were applied to fabricate FSW joints, using different rotation and travel speeds. Metallurgical investigations including X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD), optical microscopy images (OM), scanning electron microscopy equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS) and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) were used to characterize joints microstructures made with different welding parameters. Intermetallic phases were detected in the weld zone (WZ). Various microstructures were observed in the stir zone which can be attributed to using different travel and rotation speeds. Mechanical evaluation including lap shear fracture load test and microhardness measurements indicated that by simultaneously increasing the tool rotation and travel speeds, the joint tensile strength and ductility reached a maximum value. Microhardness studies and extracted results from stress–strain curves indicated that mechanical properties were affected by FSW process. Furthermore, phase analyses by XRD indicated the presence of intermetallic compounds in the weld zone. Finally, in the Al/Mg dissimilar weld, fractography studies showed that intermetallic compounds formation in the weld zone had an influence on the failure mode

[en] In this study, the effect of exposure time on the corrosion of the 304 stainless steel based oxide dispersion strengthened alloy, SS304ODS, in supercritical water was investigated at 650 ^oC with constant dissolved oxygen concentration. The results show that the oxidation of SS304ODS in supercritical water followed a parabolic law at 650 ^oC. Discontinuous oxide scale with two distinct layers has formed after 550 hours. The inner layer was chromium-rich while the outer layer was iron-rich (Magnetite). The oxide islands grow with increasing the exposure time. With increasing exposure time, the quantity of oxide islands increased in which major preferential growth along oxide-substrate interface was observed. The possible mechanism of SS304ODS oxidation in supercritical water was also discussed. (author)

[en] Friction stir welding is an efficient manufacturing method for joining dissimilar alloys, which can dramatically reduce grain sizes and offer high mechanical joint efficiency. Lap FSW joints between dissimilar AZ31B and Al 6061 alloy sheets were made at various tool rotation and travel speeds. Rotation and travel speeds varied between 560–1400 r/min and 16–40 mm/min respectively, where the ratio between these parameters was such that nearly constant pitch distances were applied during welding. X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD), optical microscopy images (OM), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and scanning electron microscopy equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) were used to investigate the microstructures of the joints welded. Intermetallic phases including Al_1_2Mg_1_7 (γ) and Al_3Mg_2 (β) were detected in the weld zone (WZ). For different tool rotation speeds, the morphology of the microstructure in the stir zone changed significantly with travel speed. Lap shear tensile test results indicated that by simultaneously increasing the tool rotation and travel speeds to 1400 r/min and 40 mm/min, the joint tensile strength and ductility reached a maximum. Microhardness measurements and tensile stress–strain curves indicated that mechanical properties were affected by FSW parameters and mainly depended on the formation of intermetallic compounds in the weld zone. In addition, a debonding failure mode in the Al/Mg dissimilar weld nugget was investigated by SEM and surface fracture studies indicated that the presence of intermetallic compounds in the weld zone controlled the failure mode. XRD analysis of the fracture surface indicated the presence of brittle intermetallic compounds including Al_1_2Mg_1_7 (γ) and Al_3Mg_2 (β). - Highlights: • Dissimilar Al/Mg joint was obtained by lap friction stir welding technique. • Effect of rotation and travel speeds on the formation of intermetallic compounds • Microstructure and chemical studies including metallography, XRD, SEM-EDS, and EPMA • Mechanical property tests such as stress–strain curves, failure load and hardness • IMCs as Al_3Mg_2 and Al_1_2Mg_1_7 were identified in weld nugget and at Al/Mg interface