Abstract

The degradation of steel used in the oil industry has become a serious problem due to the high costs associated with material loss from corrosion. Applying thin layers of corrosion-resistant material promises to be a viable alternative for extending the service life of pipelines. ERCuAl-A2 electrode claddings were applied to API X70 carbon steel using the MIG brazing process with direct current (DC) and pulsed current (P). The cladding was applied under three conditions: base material (BM) at room temperature, BM preheated to 120 °C, and Ni-buttered BM. Microhardness profiles and Charpy impact tests were performed on the MB and all cladding conditions. The API X70 carbon steel showed a microhardness value of 186.95 ± 11.17 Vickers, while the microhardness profiles of the ERCuAl A2 cladding showed values that differed in the intermetallic zone generated by the welding process. Likewise, the impact behavior of the base material and the applied claddings was ductile, except for conditions C2PF and C3PF, which showed a brittle–ductile behavior. The highest values of absorbed energy obtained from the tests were found in the conditions applied with DC, with values of approximately 50 MJm-3, due to the transfer mode of application of the cladding and/or the position in which the notch was made.

IPC Classification

Keywords