Influence of Gd and B on solidification behaviour and weldability of Ni–Cr–Mo alloy

The influence of Gd and B on the solidification behaviour and weldability of Ni–Cr–Mo alloy UNS N06455 has been investigated by Varestraint testing, differential thermal analysis and microstructural characterisation. These alloys are currently being developed as structural materials for nuclear criticality control in applications requiring transportation and disposition of spent nuclear fuel owned by the US Department of Energy. The Gd containing alloys were observed to solidify in a manner similar to a binary eutectic system. Solidification initiated with a primary L→ y reaction and terminated at ∼1258°C with a eutectic type L→ y+Ni₅Gd reaction. The solidification cracking susceptibility of the Gd containing alloys reached a maximum at ∼1 wt-%Gd and decreased with both higher and lower Gd additions. Low cracking susceptibility at Gd concentrations below ∼1 wt-% was attributed to a relatively small amount of terminal liquid that existed over much of the crack susceptible solid+liquid zone. Low cracking susceptibility at Gd concentrations above ∼1 wt-% was attributed to a reduced solidification temperature range and backfilling of solidification cracks. The addition of B above the 230 ppm level leads to the formation of an additional eutectic type reaction at ∼1200°C and the secondary phase within the eutectic type constituent was tentatively identified as Mo₃B₂. The B containing alloys exhibited a three step solidification reaction sequence consisting of primary L→ y solidification, followed by the eutectic type L→ y+Ni₅Gd reaction, followed by the terminal eutectic type L→ y+Mo₃B₂ reaction. Boron additions had a strong, deleterious influence on solidification cracking susceptibility. The high cracking susceptibility was attributed to extension of the crack susceptible solid+liquid zone induced by the additional eutectic type L→ y+Mo₃B₂ reaction and extensive wetting of the grain boundaries by the solute rich liquid. Simple heat flow equations were combined with solidification theory to develop a relation between the fraction liquid f _L and distance x within the solid+liquid zone. Information on the phenomenology of crack formation in the Varestraint test were coupled with the calculated f _L– x curves and were shown to provide useful insight into composition–solidification–weldability relations.