The Paton Welding Journal, 2026, №06

2026 №06 (03)

DOI of Article 10.37434/tpwj2026.06.04

2026 №06 (05)

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The Paton Welding Journal, 2026, #6, 32-40 pages

Investigation of thermal deformation processes in friction welding of nickel-based superalloys

I.V. Ziakhor, A.M. Levchuk, Yu.A. Shylo, V.V. Koltsov, M.S. Zavertannyi, K.V. Hushchyn

E.O. Paton Electric Welding Institute of the NASU. 11 Kazymyr Malevych Str., 03150, Kyiv, Ukraine. E-mail: zyakhor2@ukr.net

Abstract
When implementing new designs of aircraft gas turbine engines (GTE), the development of technologies for solid-state joining of nickel-based superalloys in similar and dissimilar combinations is relevant. The work investigated contact interaction processes at the initial stages of the friction welding (FW) process of the VZhL12U cast blade alloy with the EI698VD forged disk alloy. FW experiments were carried out using alloy specimens manufactured by JSC “Motor Sich”. To study the contact interaction at the initial stages (before the start of specimen upsetting), the FW process was interrupted in various ways and the surface of the specimens was analyzed. It was found that the processes of contact interaction before the start of specimen upsetting are characterized by an “explosive” rupture of friction bonds and the presence of metal spattering in the radial direction. The metal temperature in the contact interaction zone exceeds the melting temperature, at least for the VZhL12U alloy. In the central part of the cross-section of the specimens, the FW process is accompanied by deep tearing and mixing of structural elements, while in the peripheral regions, the rupture of metallic bonds along the friction surface, which shifts toward the more highly alloyed VZhL12U alloy, is characteristic. A transition interlayer is formed in the contact interaction zone, the width of which varies across the cross-section of the specimens and ranges from 30 to 450 μm. It is shown that at the initial stage of the FW process, at least before the start of specimen upsetting, isolation of the contact zone from interaction with the environment is not achieved. Conditions for minimizing harmful phase transformations in the welded joint of the VZhL12U and EI698VD alloys during FW are determined: the application of high pressure values, at least at the final stage of rotation braking, the duration of which should be sufficient to displace the transition interlayer beyond the cross-section of the specimens.
Keywords: nickel-based superalloy, friction welding, welded joint, thermal cycle, microstructure, γ′-phase, microhardness

Received: 12.03.2026
Received in revised form: 07.05.2026
Accepted: 16.06.2026

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Suggested Citation

I.V. Ziakhor, A.M. Levchuk, Yu.A. Shylo, V.V. Koltsov, M.S. Zavertannyi, K.V. Hushchyn (2026) Investigation of thermal deformation processes in friction welding of nickel-based superalloys. The Paton Welding J., 06, 32-40. https://doi.org/10.37434/tpwj2026.06.04

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