Transient liquid phase diffusion bonding and associated recrystallization phenomenon when joining ODS ferritic superalloys

Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic superalloys attribute their excellent intermediate and high temperature creep resistant properties to the distribution of an inert oxide, Y₂O₃ within highly directional and elongated grains. Careful selection of joining techniques is, therefore, of utmost importance so that the parent metal microstructure is not disrupted and is continuous across the bond line. Transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding is a suitable technique which has been used to join the ferritic superalloys MA957, MA956 and PM2000 using an amorphous foil based on an Fe-B-Si composition. To further minimize disruption to the parent alloy microstructure at the bond line, thin sputter coats based on the Fe-B-Si composition have also been used successfully for TLP bonding. Results have shown a boron-induced secondary recrystallized zone at the bond line in MA957 which acts as a barrier to further grain growth across the bond line on subsequent zone annealing. Differential scanning calorimetry shows that this recrystallization is triggered at 200 °C below the usual recrystallization temperature during heat treatment and occurs only when the metal filler melts and there is a free flux of boron into the base metal. Texture measurements show that the boron-induced recrystallization is of the same nature as the recrystallization produced by heat treatment but possesses a stronger directional 110 fibre texture. In contrast, grain growth across the bond line could be achieved in TLP bonds produced in MA956. However, a similar heat treatment for PM2000 produced simultaneous but independent secondary recrystallization both at the joint and in the bulk alloy. This difference in behaviour between these two similar alloys is attributed to differences in their thermomechanical processing.