LAUSR

In the present work, Inconel 718 powder was deposited on mild steel (MS) substrate using microwave cladding in an industrial multimode microwave applicator at 2.45 GHz and 1.1 kW. The clads were then subjected to various heat treatments, like, direct aged (DA), solution treated and aged at 981°C (981STA) and solution treated and aged at 1080°C (1080STA) in order to improve their microstructure and mechanical properties. The Inconel 718 clads were characterised, in both, as-deposited and heat-treated conditions in terms of microstructure, elemental distribution and microhardness. Microstructure of the as-deposited and DA specimens exhibited the presence of Laves phases. The 981STA and 1080STA treated specimens demonstrated partially dissolved and completely dissolved Laves phases, respectively. The microhardness of the 1080 STA heat-treated clads was two times higher compared to the as-deposited Inconel 718 clad attributed to the precipitation of strengthening phases in the 1080 STA clad layer.