Analysis of Nickel Based Hardfacing Materials Manufactured by Laser Cladding for Sodium Fast Reactor

For improving the operational capacity, the maintenance and the decommissioning of the future French Sodium Fast Reactor ASTRID which is under study, it is asked to find or develop a cobalt free hardfacing alloy and the associated manufacturing process that will give satisfying wear performances. This article presents recent results obtained on some selected nickel-based hardfacing alloys manufactured by laser cladding, particularly on Tribaloy 700 alloy. A process parameter search is made and associated the microstructural analysis of the resulting clads. A particular attention is made on the solidification of the main precipitates (chromium carbides, boron carbides, Laves phases,…) that will mainly contribute to the wear properties of the material. Finally, the wear resistance of some samples is evaluated in simple wear conditions evidencing promising results on tribology behavior of Tribaloy 700.