Enhanced Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of A216 Steel by Friction Stir Processing

One of the main problems in oil and gas pipelines is abrasion corrosion on the edges of the flow channel in the plug and ball valves. Under normal conditions, the gas is moving at a pressure of about 145 bar and an approximate speed of 70 feet per second; the suspended particles in the gas collide with the edges of the flow channel and cause severe erosion on them. The abrasion resistance of steels depends mainly on their surface properties and can be increased by increasing the surface hardness by friction stir processing (FSP). In this study, A216-WCB steel, which is used in the manufacturing of casting parts for valves, flanges, and fittings, was processed using an FSP for one and three passes. The microstructure, hardness, and wear properties of the processed area were investigated. The results showed that two distinct zones, the stir zone (SZ) and the thermo-mechanical affected zone (TMAZ), are formed in the processed zone. Due to the FSP, the grain size in the stirring region decreased from 25 microns to about 3 microns. The hardness of the SZ increased from 165 Vickers to about 784 HV. Tensile strength increased by 24%, and elongation was reduced by 25% for the processed sample compared to the raw metal. This may be due to phase transformation to martensite and grain size refinement. Also, the abrasion resistance of the stirring area increased up to 2.5 times.