Development of a hardbanding material for drill pipes based on high-manganese steel reinforced with complex carbides

In the present study, the new “casing-friendly” hardbanding alloy based on high-manganese steel reinforced with complex carbide particles was developed by combining thermodynamic modelling within the CALPHAD approach and first-principles calculations. The alloy, deposited by flux cored arc welding on a steel substrate, has a composite structure consisting of manganese-austenite with the ability to work hardening, fine (up to 5 µm) inclusions of the multi-component carbide (Nb, Ti, Mo, V) and C the thin layers of (Mo,V)C at the austenite grain boundaries. The comparative wear tests carried out with commercially available hardfacing materials of the Fe-W-C and Fe-Cr-C systems showed that the proposed alloy has the best combination of properties preventing the wear of the drill casing, while its abrasion resistance, as well as wear resistance in sliding friction conditions by steel counter body, is close to hypereutectic high chromium alloys. The microhardness tests performed on deformed specimen areas after the friction tests show the presence of a significant hardness gradient in the range of 800-450 HV at a distance of about 300 µm when moving perpendicularly away from the zone of friction contact. During the microscopic observation of the layer deposited with the developed alloy and the interfaces between the deposit and the base steel, no cracks or pores delamination were detected, indicating a strong metallurgical bonding. The hardbanding process was performed for drill pipe joints with the worn Fe-based high chromium alloy hardbanding after exploitation, which allows the drill pipe to be re-used with the same durability.