Effects of Laser Surface Melting on the Pitting Resistance of Alloy 690

Alloy 690의 공식저항성에 미치는 레이저 표면 용융의 영향

The effect of laser welding and surface treatment, developed as a method of repairing steam generator tubes, on the pitting corrosion resistance of alloy 690 was examined. The surfaces of some heat-treated Alloy 690 materials were melt-treated using the Nd-YAG laser beam, and then examined to characterize the microstructures. The resistance to pitting corrosion was evaluated by measuring of Ep(pitting potential) through the electrochemical tests and also by measuring the degree of pit generation through the immersion tests. The pit formation characteristics were investigated by observing microstructural changes and pit morphologies. The results show that the resistance to pitting corrosion increases in the order of the following list; solution annealed Alloy 690, thermally treated Alloy 690, and laser surface melt-treated Alloy 690. The melted region was found to have a cellular structure and fine precipitates. It was confirmed that the resistance of Alloy 690 to pit initiation and also to pit propagation was higher when it was laser treated than treated otherwise.