Microstructure and the elemental and phase compositions of the diffusion joint of grade 45 steel through a powder layer

The microstructures of the transition zone and the powder layer, the concentration distribution of chemical elements across a diffusion joint, and the microhardness of the grade 45 steel-Ni powder layer-grade 45 steel layered composite materials fabricated by diffusion welding at various temperatures are studied. It is shown that the deposition of a nickel sublayer on steel and the application of a submicron nickel powder as an activating layer make it possible to form a high-quality diffusion joint at a temperature of 850$^\circ$C, which is $\sim$ 0.6 of the melting temperature of nickel (which has the lowest melting temperature in the given composite material). The sintering of a nickel powder and the formation of a transition zone between the nickel layer and steel occur simultaneously in a solid phase during diffusion joining. The transition zone consists of an $\alpha$-Fe solid solution and the FeNi$_3$ compound.