Effect of post-weld heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of alloy 52M cladding metal

Haiyang Zhu; Zuojin Qin; Changzheng Xu; Kun Liu; Jiasheng Zou; Haiyang Zhu; Zuojin Qin; Changzheng Xu; Kun Liu; Jiasheng Zou

doi:10.3934/matersci.2025051

AIMS Materials Science

2025, Volume 12, Issue 6: 1092-1106. doi: 10.3934/matersci.2025051

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Research article

Effect of post-weld heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of alloy 52M cladding metal

Haiyang Zhu ^1,2,
Zuojin Qin ³,
Changzheng Xu ^{4
,
,},
Kun Liu ^{2
,
,},
Jiasheng Zou ^{2
,
,}

1.
School of Metallurgical Engineering, Suzhou Institute of Technology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215600, China
2.
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212000, China
3.
Guangxi Zhongyuan Machinery Co., Ltd., Liuzhou 545000, China
4.
Baowu Special Metallurgy Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200000, China

Received: 17 September 2025 Revised: 28 October 2025 Accepted: 12 November 2025 Published: 19 November 2025

Alloy 52M cladding metals were fabricated on low-alloy steel plates using strip electrode submerged arc welding (SAW), followed by post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) at 610 ℃ for 24 h. The influence of PWHT on the microstructure, tensile properties, and impact toughness of the cladding metal was investigated. The results showed that cladding metals exhibited a cellular microstructure, with precipitated phases primarily composed of intragranular (Nb, Ti)C and intergranular M₂₃C₆. After PWHT, the M₂₃C₆ precipitates at grain boundaries coarsened from fine granules to a blocky morphology. This microstructural evolution led to a slight increase in tensile strength (from 578 to 589 MPa), accompanied by a minor reduction in plasticity and impact toughness; elongation decreased from 51% to 47%, and impact absorption energy dropped from 79 to 75 J. Additionally, the dimples on both the tensile and impact fracture surfaces of the PWHT cladding metal were smaller and shallower compared to those of the as-welded cladding metal.
- alloy 52M,
- cladding metal,
- PWHT,
- microstructure,
- mechanical properties
Citation: Haiyang Zhu, Zuojin Qin, Changzheng Xu, Kun Liu, Jiasheng Zou. Effect of post-weld heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of alloy 52M cladding metal[J]. AIMS Materials Science, 2025, 12(6): 1092-1106. doi: 10.3934/matersci.2025051

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Abstract

Alloy 52M cladding metals were fabricated on low-alloy steel plates using strip electrode submerged arc welding (SAW), followed by post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) at 610 ℃ for 24 h. The influence of PWHT on the microstructure, tensile properties, and impact toughness of the cladding metal was investigated. The results showed that cladding metals exhibited a cellular microstructure, with precipitated phases primarily composed of intragranular (Nb, Ti)C and intergranular M₂₃C₆. After PWHT, the M₂₃C₆ precipitates at grain boundaries coarsened from fine granules to a blocky morphology. This microstructural evolution led to a slight increase in tensile strength (from 578 to 589 MPa), accompanied by a minor reduction in plasticity and impact toughness; elongation decreased from 51% to 47%, and impact absorption energy dropped from 79 to 75 J. Additionally, the dimples on both the tensile and impact fracture surfaces of the PWHT cladding metal were smaller and shallower compared to those of the as-welded cladding metal.

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