Interfacial microstructure of diffusion-bonded W-25Re/Ti/graphite joint and its high-temperature stability

Abstract

Graphite was diffusion-bonded by hot-pressing to W-25Re alloy using a Ti interlayer. For the joining, a uniaxial pressure of 25 MPa was applied at 1600 °C for 2 hrs in an argon atmosphere with a heating rate of 10 °C min-1. The interfacial microstructure and elemental distribution of the W-25Re/Ti/Graphite joints were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Hot-pressed joints appeared to form a stable interlayer without any micro-cracking, pores, or defects. To investigate the high-temperature stability of the W-25Re/Ti/Graphite joint, an oxy-acetylene torch test was conducted for 30 seconds with oxygen and acetylene at a 1.3:1 ratio. Cross-sectional analysis of the joint was performed to compare the thickness of the oxide layer and its chemical composition. The thickness of W-25Re changed from 250 to 20 μm. In the elemental analysis, a high fraction of rhenium was detected at the surface oxidation layer of W-25Re, while the W-25Re matrix was found to maintain the initial weight ratio. Tungsten was first reacted with oxygen at a torch temperature over 2500 °C to form a tungsten oxide layer on the surface of W-25Re. Then, the remaining rhenium was subsequently reacted with oxygen to form rhenium oxide. The interfacial microstructure of the Ti-containing interlayer was stable after the torch test at a temperature over 2500 °C.