Laser Applications Laboratory

Refractory Alloy Welding

Project description: Welding of refractory metals such as vanadium alloys.
Category: internal R&D project

Butt weld of two 4 mm thick V-4Cr-4Ti plates made by a pulsed Nd:YAG laser. Click on image to view larger image.

Working with the Fusion program at Argonne, the LAL is working on laser welding techniques to use on special vanadium-rich alloys. These alloys are being considered for use in building containment and cooling structures in the next generation of fusion reactors. These alloys offer better materials properties under neutron bombardment, but must be welded in an inert atmosphere. Efforts are being made to satisfy this restriction in an efficient manner that can be used for full-scale vessel manufacture.

Last Modified: Tue, September 14, 2010 6:17 PM