BONDING PHENOMENON IN TRANSIENT LIQUID PHASE BONDING OF NI BASE SUPERALLOY GTD-111

Metallurgical studies on the bonded interlayer of directionally solidified Ni-base superalloy GTD111 joints were carried out during transient liquid phase bonding. The formation mechanism of solid during solidification process was also investigated. Microstructures at the bonded interlayer of joints were characterized with bonding temperature. In the bonding process held at 1403K, liquid insert metal was eliminated by well known mechanism of isothermal solidification process and formation of the solid from the liquid at the bonded interlayer were achieved by epitaxial growth. In addition, grain boundary formed at bonded interlayer is consistent with those of base metal. However, in the bonding process held at 1453K, extensive formation of the liquid phase was found to have taken place along dendrite boundaries and grain boundaries adjacent to bonded interlayer. Liquid phases were also observed at grain boundaries far from the bonding interface. This phenomenon results in liquation of grain boundaries. With prolonged holding, liquid phases decreased gradually and changed to isolated granules, but did not disappeared after holding for 7.2ks at 1473K. This isothermal solidification occurs by diffusion of Ti to be result in liquation. In addition, grain boundaries formed at bonded interlayer were corresponded with those of base metal. In the GTD-ll1 alloy, bonding mechanism differs with bonding temperature.