Welding
304 International
Ol'shanskii2004
and18 Morozov
(4) 304–306
Selected from Svarochnoe Proizvodstvo 2003 47 (11) 8–11; Reference SP/03/11/8; Translation 3288
Evaluation of the effect of increased pressure of shielding
gas on the decrease in porosity of welded joints in
aluminium alloys
A N O L' S H A N S K I I and B P M O R O Z O V
K E Tsiolkovskii Moscow Institute of Aviation Technology
The development of porosity in liquid metal is possible
only if there are suitable conditions for the formation of
nuclei of pores. This should be accompanied by a decrease
in the free energy of the system. The total change of the
energy of the system: 1
∆Φ = −∆fV + ΣSi σi , [1]
where ∆f is the difference of the free energy of the dissolved
and free gas; V is the volume of the new gas phase; S i is
the total surface of the new phase; σj is the surface tension
at the phase boundary.
For a gas pore with a radius r, equation [1] has the
following form:
4
∆Φ = − πr 3 ∆f + 4πr 2 σi . [2]
3
Equation [2] indicates that the decrease in the free
energy of the system in the formation of a new phase is
proportional to the cube of the radius r and the increase
of the energy. As a result, the losses for the formation of
the phase boundary are proportional to the square of
the radius. Thus, increase of the volume of the pore with
the radius higher than the critical radius is accompanied by
a decrease of the free energy of the system. In this case,
the nucleus of the pore becomes stable and capable of
growth. The hydrogen pressure in the gas bubble is:
2σ i
pH 2 = pex + hρ + , [3]
r
where p ex is the external pressure of the gas above the
molten metal; h is the height of the column of the metal;
ρ is the density of metal; σ is the surface tension of the
metal at the metal-gas boundary; r is the radius of the
bubble.
The critical radius of the nucleus of the pore, formed
during the generation of hydrogen, dissolved in the
aluminium pool of liquid metal is:2
2σ i 1
rcr = , [4]
c ln [ H ]
pH 2
doi:10.1533/wint.2004.3288
doi:10.1533/wint.2004.3288
where c is a constant; [H] is the concentration of hydrogen
in the metal of the weld pool.
Equation [4] shows that r cr increases with increasing
pex . Therefore, the increase of the pressure above the
weld pool can be regarded as a factor, capable of
preventing the generation of the dissolved gas in the
form of pores.
The increase of the size of the micronuclei of the pores
in the volume takes place in the liquid metal as a result
of diffusion of the dissolved hydrogen. 3
The atomic hydrogen, diffusing into the pores, is
transferred into the molecular form and generates a
pressure in the pores, equalised by the external pressure.3
The amount of hydrogen, diffusing into the nucleus
of the pore from the surrounding liquid metal, can be
determined from the Richardson Equation:
∆m = D0
1
∆x
K ( )
pH' 2 − pH2 S ∆t , [5]
where D 0 is the diffusion coefficient at the solidification
temperature; ∆x is the thickness of the metal; K is a
constant; pH 2 is the equilibrium pressure of hydrogen
at the temperature of the weld pool; pH′ 2 is the pressure
of hydrogen in the pore at the temperature of the weld
pool; S is the side surfaces of the pore; t is the diffusion
time.
Assuming that the pressure of hydrogen in the pore
in the liquid metal is equal to the external pressure:
pH 2 = pex ,
the equation may be presented in the following form:
∆m = D0
1
∆x
( )
K pH' 2 − pex S ∆t. [6]
Equation [6] shows that there are two regions of
diffusion of the gas: p ex < pH 2 – the rate of diffusion of
the gas into the pores is positive, i.e. the amount of the
gas in the pore increases and the pores grow; p ex > pH′ 2
– the rate of diffusion of the gas into the pores is negative
and the volume of the pores decreases.
Thus, changing pex, with other conditions being equal,
it is possible to cause the dissolution of the gas, enclosed
doi:10.1533/wint.2004.3288 Welded joints in aluminium alloys 305

in the pores, and this is accompanied by a decrease in
the volume of the pore by the transfer of gas from the
solution into the pores and by the increase of the volume
of the latter.
In the actual welding conditions, in addition to the
hydrogen, dissolved in the welded metal, it is also necessary
to take into account the possibility of introduction of
additional hydrogen into the weld metal from the surface of
the parent metal and the welding wire and also as a result
of dissociation of the water vapours, distributed in the gas.
If the diffusion removal of hydrogen from the liquid metal
is not taken into account, and the possibility of rising and
removal of parts of the pores is disregarded, the volume of
hydrogen, generated in the pores, can be determined by
the following dependence:
metal, the formation of porosity is caused by the moisture
present in the oxide film on the surface of the metal. In this
case, equation [7] has the following form:
 T  1
ΣVn = K [ H ]d  1 +  . [9]
 273  pex
In the SAP-type material and granulated aluminium,
the high gas saturation of the parent metal results in a
situation in which the porosity forms as a result of the
generation of gas from the parent metal.
For SAP and granulated aluminium, equation [7] has
the following form:

 T  1
 T  1 ΣVn = C [ H ]d 1 +  . [10]
ΣVn = ([ H ]0 + [ H ]d − [ H ] p pex )  1 +  , [7]  273  pex
 273  pex
The results of experiments with the examination of
Here [H]0 is the concentration of hydrogen in the parent
the variation of the total volume of the pores in relation
metal; [H]d is the additional concentration of the hydrogen
to the argon pressure in the chamber in the welding of
transferred into the pool from the surface of the metal;
aluminium materials show that with an increase in the
[H]p is the equilibrium concentration of hydrogen at the
concentration of the gas in the metal, the suppression
solidification temperature of the metal; T is the melting
of porosity takes place at a higher pressure.
point of the metal.
Figure 1 shows the variation of porosity of welded joints
The dependence [7] shows that the volume of the pores,
in aluminium (type A95, AO) at different pressures. It may
formed in the metal, depends on the initial concentration
be seen that the increase of the hydrogen concentration in
of hydrogen in the liquid metal, the additional
the metal results in an increase of the total volume of the
concentration of hydrogen, transferred into the pool from
pores and of the external pressure at which the porosity is
the surface of the metal, and on the external pressure of
suppressed. The decrease in the porosity in the weld metal
the shielding gas above the molten pool.
with the application of pressure lower than atmospheric is
The external pressure, resulting in the complete
explained by the processes of degassing of the liquid metal.
suppression of porosity in the weld metal, i.e., the total
In welding AMg6 alloy (Fig. 2), the pressure range below
volume of the pores is equal to zero, is determined from
the atmospheric pressure was not characterised by a decrease
equation [7].
of porosity, indicating problems in the processes of degassing
Assuming that pex = pcr, one obtains:
of the metal. These processes are characterised by low
intensity because of the increase of the solubility of
([ H ] + [ H ] )
2 hydrogen in the metal. Increase in the gas pressure decreases
pcr = 0 d
. [8]
[ H ]2p

As indicated by equation [6], the total volume of porosity

Total volume of pores, cm 3/100 g

for the given concentration of hydrogen in the metal

increases with a decrease in pressure and there is a
pressure at which the total volume of the discontinuities
is equal to zero.
The theoretical assumptions, presented previously, have
been confirmed by the experiments with welding of
commercial aluminium, AMg6 alloy, aluminium granulated
alloys, sintered aluminium powder (SAP), with different
mechanisms of porosity formation.
In welding of aluminium, the formation of porosity is
caused by the generation of the excess amount of hydrogen
whose solubility depends on the pressure of the gas above
the molten metal pool. In this case, the relationship between
Pressure, MPa
the total concentration of hydrogen in the weld metal, the
total volume of the porosity, and the pressure of the external 1 The dependence of the total volume of the pores in welded
medium is expressed by equation [7]. In welding AMg6 joints in aluminium on pressure: 1–3) the hydrogen
alloy, as a result of the high solubility of hydrogen into concentration of 0.5, 0.7 and 0.95 cm3/100 g, respectively.
306
Total volume of pores, cm 3/100 g
2 The dependence of the total volume of pores in welded
joints in AMg6 aluminium alloys on pressure: 1) after etching;
2) etching and holding in air 3 days; 3) etching and holding
in water vapours for 3 days.
Total volume of pores, cm 3/100 g
3 The dependence of the total volume of the pores in the
welded joints in granulated and powder aluminium alloys
on pressure: 1) granulated aluminium with a hydrogen
concentration of 3 cm3/100 g; 2, 3) sintered aluminium
powder with a hydrogen concentration of 8 and 18 cm3/
100 g, respectively.
porosity because of a decrease in the diameter of the pores.
In the welding of granulated aluminium and SAP-type
materials, the porosity can be used only as a result of
increasing the gas pressure above the molten metal. The
high porosity of the welded joints indicates the presence,
in the parent metal, of a large amount of gases and various
gas compounds (Fig. 3).
Analysis of the effect of a higher pressure on the
processes of suppression of porosity of aluminium materials
Ol'shanskii and Morozov doi:10.1533/wint.2004.3288
Hydrogen concentration cm3/00g
Porosity
No porosity
Pressure, MPa
Pressure, MPa
4 The range of optimum pressure resulting in the production
of sound welded joints in aluminium materials: 1) aluminium;
2) AMg6 alloys; 3) granulated aluminium; 4) sintered
aluminium powder (SAP).
shows that, irrespective of the mechanism of formation of
porosity in the weld metal, there is a range of pressure
resulting in high-density welded joints. With increasing
concentration of the gases, dissolved in the metal, and
also transferred from the surface of the parent metal and
welding wire, and as a result of dissociation of the water
vapours, distributed in the shielding gas, higher external
pressure must be applied in order to suppress porosity
(Fig. 4).
Conclusions
1 The pressure of the shielding gas in welding affects
processes of the nucleation, development and suppres-
sion of porosity of the weld metal.
2 A method has been developed for the determination of
the pressure of the shielding gas in the chamber result-
0.2 0.4 0.6 1.0
ing in the complete suppression of porosity in weld
Pressure, MPa metal in welding of aluminium and its alloys, and also
granulated and powder materials.
3 A method has been proposed for the determination of
the susceptibility of metals to porosity formation. The
susceptibility criterion is represented by the minimum
pressure of the shielding gas resulting in the complete
suppression of porosity in the weld metal.
References
1: ‘Physical metals science’. Publ GPTI for Ferrous and Nonfer-
rous Metallurgy Moscow 1955.
2 Nikiforov G D et al: ‘The density of welded joints in alu-
minium and its alloys in the conditions of argon-shielded arc
welding’. In: ‘Welding in shielding and active gases’. Publ
Moscow House of Scientific and Technical Propaganda Mos-
cow 1966.
3 Nikiforov G D and Silant’eva S A: ‘The nucleation and devel-
opment of pores in the welding of AMg6 alloys’. Svar Proiz
(12) 1962 1–15.