Effect of Ti interlayer on the bonding quality of W and steel HIP joint

Abstract Tungsten (W) and steel bonding is one of the key technologies for blanket First Wall (FW) manufacture in thermal fusion reactor. The W/Steel joints are prone to fail without interlayer for the different thermo physical properties. To study the effect of titanium (Ti) interlayer on the bonding quality of W and steel joints, W/Steel Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) experiments with Ti interlayer were conducted under 930 °C, 100 MPa for 2 h. Intermetallics caused by atom interdiffusion would affect the bonding quality of W/Ti/Steel HIP joints, the bonding quality was evaluated by microstructure analysis and mechanical tests. All the HIP joints were well bonded and results showed no intermetallics occurred between W/Ti interfaces, meanwhile multiply phases were found between Ti/Steel interfaces. Shear tests indicated when Ti thickness was 100–500 μm, the maximum shear strength of W/Ti/Steel HIP joints would be up to around 151 MPa. Charpy impact tests showed the W/Ti/Steel HIP joints all broke in a brittle manner and the maximum Charpy impact energy was ∼0.192 J. Nano-indentation tests demonstrated W/Ti interfaces could be enhanced by solid solution hardening and formation of brittle phases has conducted high hardness across the Ti/Steel interfaces.