Improving mechanical properties of Ni electrode through alloying and heat treatment

Abstract

Due to the ferromagnetic nature of iron (Fe) and nickel (Ni) and most of their alloys, it is likely that their inherent magnetism could cause a defect called residual magnetism in welds. Although seldom explored, this property may contribute to the formation of brittle martensite and carbide phases by promoting carbon diffusion from the base material to the surface. This study focusses on solid-solution-strengthening (sss) of Ni electrode by alloying it with chromium (Cr) and copper (Cu), since the introduction of these metals is known to suppress magnetism while increasing strength.