Magnetic NDE for Sensitization of Inconel 600 Alloy

Inconel 600 alloy, Ni base alloy, is widely used for steam generator tubings where sensitization occurs at grain boundaries and sensitization will induce tubing failures. This alloy has usually paramagnetic property, however, it transforms into ferromagnetic property along grain boundaries when sensitization occurs: this means NDE using magnetism for sensitization is possible. Therefore, in this study, Inconel 600 alloys were heat treated at 873 K from 0 to 400 hours so as to generate sensitization and their magnetic properties were investigated in detail. The saturation and the residual magnetization increase with increasing heat treatment time and take a maximum. On the other hand, the coercive force decreases with the increase in time of heat treatment. We confirmed that characteristics at only grain boundaries change into ferromagnetic phase by a MFM observation. As a trial for industrial application, heat treated Inconel 600 alloy was scanned by a magnetic field sensor, and the variations in magnetization were obtained nondestructively. The results indicate a feasibility of magnetic NDE for sensitization of Inconel 600 alloy.