Natural gas is the most realistic fuel among eco-friendly fuels. Natural gas production is limited, and in Korea, it is supplied and utilized in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG). In the case of LNG, the vaporization point is 163 degrees below zero, so ordinary metal cannot be used due to its brittleness. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) defines metals that can be used in the IGC Code, and is used for storage containers, transportation containers, etc. based on the metals. Welding is essential in the manufacture of large structures such as LNG storage tanks. In this study, weldability studies related to cryogenic materials were conducted. In Part I of this study, high-manganese steel and part II were studied for two types of stainless steel (STS304L, STS316L), and in Part III, aluminum (AL5083). During laser welding, the shape of the Bead on Plate (BOP) was analyzed, and a total of nine cases were analyzed using laser power and welding speed as variables. It was confirmed that the penetration and the width of the welding width were linearly proportional to the amount of heat input. Based on this study, it is possible to conduct a follow-up study to find the optimal welding conditions for butt welding and fillet welding.
Spherical monosized pure aluminum (Al) particles are successfully fabricated by the pulsated orifice ejection method (POEM). The surface reaction between Al and the graphite crucible is investigated by analysing the microstructure and chemical composition of the materials. No significant chemical reaction occurs between Al and the graphite owing to the crystalline Al oxide (γ-Al2O3) layer generated in the initial state. The γ-Al2O3 layer is clearly observed in all regions between the Al particles and graphite via transmission electron microscopy and confirmed by the selected area diffraction pattern. The morphology of the γ-Al2O3 layer perfectly follows the surface morphology of the graphite crucible, which showed nanoscale roughness. This implies that molten Al could not directly contact graphite even though the surface of the crucible became rough to some extent. However, this passivation phenomenon allowed the successful fabrication of monosized pure Al particles. Therefore, POEM is a useful process at least to manufacture monosized pure Al particles.