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Chinese Journal of Materials Research  2026, Vol. 40 Issue (9): 677-684    DOI: 10.11901/1005.3093.2025.361
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Failure Analysis of BeCoCu-alloy Electrodes for Resistance Spot Welding of GH3536 Nickel-based Superalloy Sheets
HU Feng1, YI Runhua1, DENG Lipeng1(), XU Kang1, GAO Pengfei1, JIANG Zhijian1, XU Zhong2, ZHU Gaodong2, XIE Sizhong2, HE Yitao2, ZHAO Jiacheng2
1.School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang 330063, China
2.Hunan Southern General Aviation Engine Co., Ltd., Zhuzhou 412002, China
Cite this article: 

HU Feng, YI Runhua, DENG Lipeng, XU Kang, GAO Pengfei, JIANG Zhijian, XU Zhong, ZHU Gaodong, XIE Sizhong, HE Yitao, ZHAO Jiacheng. Failure Analysis of BeCoCu-alloy Electrodes for Resistance Spot Welding of GH3536 Nickel-based Superalloy Sheets. Chinese Journal of Materials Research, 2026, 40(9): 677-684.

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Abstract  

The resistance spot welding of 1.3 mm-thick GH3536 nickel-based superalloy sheets was performed via DZ-X100 three-phase secondary rectifier spot welding machine with spherical electrodes made of BeCoCu-alloy, aiming to simulate the actual operating conditions in a production line, and to examine the applicability of the electrodes and their failure process after long term service. The results show that the useable number of times of the BeCoCu-alloy electrodes is approximately 220 times for spot welding. When the electrode fails, it can be observed that on the electrode end surface, metals-accumulation and -adhesion occur, the grains size increases, and pits appear due to erosion. These may be ascribed to that during welding, elements such as Fe, Ni, Cr etc. in the superalloy may diffuse inwards the electrode to form (Fe, Ni) substitution solid solution, as well as brittle intermetallic compounds such as Fe0.7Cr0.19Ni1.1, Cr0.19Fe0.7Ni0.11 and Cu0.81Ni0.19. Such alloying process may cause microcracks on the electrode surface, which is conductive to the occurrence of failure and spallation. The failure process involves the transformation of the alloy texture from stronger cubic {100}<001> and {110}<100> textures to weaker cubic<111>||ND texture, resulting in reduction of its relative strength from 4.12 and 5.62 to 3.05. Additionally, during the service process of BeCoCu electrode, the amount of high-angle grain boundary increases, which promotes alloying process of the electrode. These factors together lead to electrode failure.

Key words:  materials failure and protection      failure analysis      electrode life      beryllium cobalt copper      aero-engine      resistance spot welding     
Received:  03 December 2025     
ZTFLH:  TG453.9  
Fund: Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province(20252BAC250035)
Corresponding Authors:  DENG Lipeng, Tel: 13870665644, E-mail: denglipeng@nchu.edu.cn

URL: 

https://www.cjmr.org/EN/10.11901/1005.3093.2025.361     OR     https://www.cjmr.org/EN/Y2026/V40/I9/677

MaterialCrFeMoWCoPAlNiMnSiC
GH353621.7718.868.420.9080.9800.0110.164Bal.0.6960.2620.071
Table 1  Chemical composition of GH3536 alloy (mass fraction, %)
Fig.1  Spherical electrode diagram (unit: mm)
Fig.2  Relationship between the nugget diameter and the number of solder joints
Fig.3  Relationship between the tensile shear force and the number of solder joints
Fig.4  Microstructure of electrode end face before (a) and after (b) failure
Fig.5  SEM morphology of electrode end face (a) overall diagram, (b) partial enlarged view
Fig.6  EDS analysis of electrode end face (a) electrode end face, (b) energy spectrum
Fig.7  XRD pattern of electrode end face after failure
Fig.8  Inverse pole figure of the electrode before (a) and after (b) failure
Fig.9  PF (a, c) and ODF (b, d) of electrode end face before (a, b) and after (c, d) failure
Fig.10  Grain boundary diagrams (a1, b1) and probability distribution diagrams (a2, b2) of orientation difference before (a1, a2) and after (b1, b2) electrode failure
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