Alloy 800H stands as one of the few code-qualified materials for fabricating in-core and out-of-core components operating in high-temperature reactors. Welding is a common practice for assembling these components; however, the selection of a suitable filler material is essential for enhancing the high-temperature creep resistance of Alloy 800H weldments in high-temperature applications. In this study, Inconel 625 and Haynes 230 filler materials were used to weld Alloy 800H plates by employing the gas tungsten arc welding technique. The high-temperature tensile and creep rupture properties, microstructural stability, and evolution of the weldments after high-temperature exposure were investigated and compared with those of Alloy 800H. The results show that both weldments exhibit enhanced tensile and creep behavior at 760 °C. The creep rupture times of the weldments with Inconel 625 filler and Haynes 230 filler materials were about two and three time longer, respectively, than those of Alloy 800H base metal when tested at 80 MPa and 760 °C. Carbides (MC and M₂₃C₆) were commonly observed in the microstructures of both the weld and base metals in the two weldments after high-temperature creep tests. However, the Inconel 625 filler weldment displayed detrimental δ and Laves phases in the fusion zone, and these precipitates could be potential sites for initiating cracks following prolonged high-temperature exposure. This study shows that the weldment with Haynes 230 filler material exhibit better phase stability and creep rupture properties than the one with Inconel 625, suggesting its potential for use as a candidate filler material for Alloy 800H for further investigation. This finding also emphasizes the critical consideration of microstructural evolutions and phase stability in evaluating high-temperature materials and their weldments in high-temperature reactor applications.

Inconel 625 is considered one of the candidate materials for reactor fuel cladding in the Canadian supercritical water reactor (SCWR) design. Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) is being evaluated as a joining technique for SCWR fuel cladding since this method is widely used to join components in the power and nuclear industry. During the GTAW process, the welding thermal cycle produces different types of microstructures in both the heat-affected zone (HAZ) and fusion zone (FZ) that affect the material's mechanical properties. A series of welding experiments at various weld conditions were performed using an automatic GTAW orbital process on Inconel 625 alloy tubing. Simple analytical heat conduction and grain growth models were developed to predict weld temperature profiles and metallurgical transformations. Weld characterization included mechanical tests, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) elemental analysis, and microhardness measurements. Weld microstructural characterization revealed that a characteristic dendritic structure was formed in the FZ, while the HAZ exhibited larger equiaxed grains than those found in the base material (BM). SEM-EDS analysis showed no distinct alloying element segregation in both the HAZ and FZ. Welds produced with heat inputs of about 3.00 J/mm3 presented similar mechanical properties as those observed in the BM. In these welds, grain growth was homogenously minimized in the FZ. It is concluded that the effective welding heat input control can optimize the weld microstructure and the weld mechanical properties in Inconel 625 tubing used as Canadian SCWR reactor fuel cladding.

Inconel 625 is considered one of the candidate materials for fuel cladding in the Canadian supercritical water reactor. Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) is being evaluated as a joining technique for SCWR fuel cladding since this method is widely used to join components in the power and nuclear industry. The thermal cycle, during the GTAW process, produces different types of microstructures that affect the material's mechanical properties. The objective of this work was to study the effect of corrosion testing at supercritical water conditions on mechanical properties of Inconel 625 base material (BM) and weldments. Tubular Inconel 625 specimens were welded using a GTAW orbital process. Corrosion testing was conducted in an autoclave at 575 °C (848.15 K) and 23.5 MPa for 500 h (1.8 × 10⁶ s). Weld characterization included mechanical tests, optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The composition of second phase precipitates observed during microstructural characterization was elucidated using equilibrium phase diagrams. Tensile tests showed that both BM and welds displayed an increase in strength and a decrease in ductility after corrosion testing. The ultimate tensile strength increased about 2% and 9% for the BM and the weldment, respectively. The maximum specimen elongation decreased around 35% for the BM and 45% for the weldment. The microstructure showed indications of second phase precipitation and grain morphology changes produced by both welding and corrosion processes. Results show that ductility of Inconel 625 GTAW welds is significantly reduced after exposure to supercritical water for 500 h (1.8 × 10⁶ s).

The high-temperature low-cycle fatigue (LCF) behaviour of Incoloy 800H and its weldments with Haynes 230 and Inconel 82 filler metals, which were fabricated with the gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) technique, was investigated and compared at 760 °C. The results revealed that the Incoloy 800H weldments showed lower fatigue lifetimes compared to the base metal. However, the weldments with the Haynes 230 filler metal demonstrated an improved fatigue life at the low strain amplitude compared to both Incoloy 800H and the weldment with the Inconel 82 filler metal. The Incoloy 800H base metal showed pronounced initial cyclic hardening with hardening factors increasing with strain amplitudes. In contrast, the weldments with Haynes 230 and Inconel 82 filler metals displayed short initial cyclic hardening and saturation stages, followed by long continuous cyclic softening. The fractography and microstructure after LCF the tests were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Transgranular fracture with multiple crack initiations was the predominant failure mode on the fracture surfaces of both Incoloy 800 base metal and the weldments. TEM examination revealed that planar dislocation slips at the low strain amplitude evolved to wavy slips, eventually forming a cell structure at high strain amplitudes in the Incoloy 800H material as the strain amplitudes increased. However, the weld metal exhibited a planar slip mode deformation mechanism regardless of cyclic strain amplitude in the weldment specimens. The differing cyclic hardening and softening behaviours between Incoloy 800H and its weldments are attributed to the higher strength of the weldment specimens compared to the base metal. In the Incoloy 800H base material specimens, the reverse strains during LCF created wavy dislocation structures, which could not fully recover due to the non-reversible nature of the microstructure. As a result, cells or subgrains formed within the microstructure once created. In contrast, the higher strength of the weld metal in the weldment specimens significantly suppressed the formation of wavy dislocation structures, and deformation primarily manifested as planar arrays of dislocations.

Alloy 800H stands as one of the few code qualified materials for fabricating in core and out of core components operating in high temperature reactors (HTRs). Welding is a common practice for assembling these components, however, the election of a suitable filler material is essential to enhance the high-temperature creep resistance of Alloy 800H weldments in high temperature applications. In this study, Inconel 625 and Haynes 230 filler material were used to weld the Alloy 800H plates employing the Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) technique. The high temperature tensile, creep rupture property, microstructural stability and evolution of the weldments after high temperature exposure were investigated and compared with Alloy 800H. The results showed that the both weldments exhibited enhanced tensile and creep behavior at 760 oC. The creep rupture time of the weldments with Inconel 625 filler and Haynes 230 filler materials was about two and three time longer than that of Alloy 800H base metal when tested at 80 MPa and 760 oC, respectively. Carbides (MC and M23C6) were commonly observed in the microstructure of both the weld and base metals in the two weldments after high temperature creep tests. However, the Inconel 625 filler weldment displayed detrimental δ and Laves phase in the fusion zone and these precipitates could be potential sites for initiating cracks following prolonged high temperature exposure. The study showed that the weldment with Haynes 230 exhibited better phase stability and creep rupture property than the one with Inconel 625 filler material, suggesting its potential as a candidate filler material for Alloy 800H for further investigation. The finding also emphasizes the critical consideration of microstructural evolutions and phase stability in evaluating high temperature materials and their weldments in high temperature reactor applications.