Search Results (9)

There is still a considerable gap in the definition of the weldability of Duplex Stainless Steel (DSS). A lack of clarity that is explained by the standard specification of the maximum content of equivalent carbon that defines a “weldable” steel coupled with the fact that the alloying elements of DSS exceed this defined limit of weldability. In this paper, welding quality in an inert environment and in presence of chlorides is analyzed with the aim of defining optimum welding conditions of 2001, 2304, and 2205 DSS. The same procedure is followed for a hybrid weld between DSS 2205 and a low carbon mild steel, S275JR. As main output, this study defined the optimal welding conditions with tungsten inert gas without filler for each type of DSS weld that showed excellent anti-corrosion performance, with the exception of the DSS 2205-S275JR weld where widespread corrosion was observed. Additionally, this study established a relationship between the thermal input during welding and the content of alloying elements in defect-free joints. Furthermore, it demonstrated that an increase in ferrite content did not lead to a worse corrosion resistance, as expected after passivation. Full article

Steel rebars of structures exposed to cyclic loadings and marine environments suffer an accelerated deterioration process by corrosion fatigue, causing catastrophic failure before service life ends. Hence, stainless steel rebars have been emerging as a way of mitigating pitting corrosion contribution to fatigue, despite the increased cost. The present study proposes a corrosion fatigue semiempirical model. Different samples of rebars made of carbon steel, 304L austenitic (ASS), 316L ASS, 2205 duplex (DSS), 2304 lean duplex stainless steels (LDSS), and 2001 LDSS have been embedded in concrete and exposed to a tidal marine environment for 6 months. Corrosion rates of each steel rebar have been obtained from direct measurement and, considering rebar standard requirements for fatigue and fracture mechanics, an iterative numerical model has been developed to derive the cycles to failure for each stress range level. The model resulted in a corrosion pushing factor for each material, able to be used as an accelerating coefficient for the Palmgren-Miner linear rule and as a performance indicator. Carbon steel showed the worst performance, while 2001 LDSS performed 1.5 times better with the best cost-performance ratio, and finally 2205 DSS performed 1.5 times better than 2001 LDSS. Full article

This study presents results of experimental tests on quality of dissimilar welded joints between 316L austenitic and 2304 lean duplex stainless steels, welded without ceramic backing. Fiber laser welded butt joints at a thickness of 8 mm were subjected to non-destructive testing (visual and penetrant), destructive testing (static tensile test, bending test, and microhardness measurements) and structure observations (macro- and microscopic examinations, SEM, element distribution characteristics, and ferrite content measurements). Non-destructive tests and metallographic examinations showed that the welded joints meet the acceptance criteria for B level in accordance with EN ISO 13919–1 standard. Also the results of the destructive tests confirmed the high quality of the joints: specimens were fractured in base material with lower strength—316L austenitic stainless steel and a 180° bending angle was obtained confirming the high plasticity of the joints. Microscopic examination, SEM and EDS analysis showed the distribution of alloying elements in joints. The microhardness of the autogenous weld metal was higher by about 20 HV0.2 than that of the lean duplex steel. Ferrite content in the root was about 37% higher than in the face of the weld. The Schaeffler phase diagram was used to predict the phase composition of the welded joints and sufficient compliance with the magnetic method was found. The presented procedure can be used for welding of 316L–2304 stainless steels dissimilar welded joints of 8 mm thickness without ceramic backing. Full article

The present work describes the influence of the parameters employed in the gas tungsten arc welding process (GTAW) when nickel powder is used as a filler metal in 2304/2507 duplex stainless-steel dissimilar joints. Multi-objective optimization was applied in order to maintain the austenite/ferrite percentage in the welded zone. A microstructural and phase quantification analysis was performed in each sample through optical and scanning electron microscopes. It was found that a nickel powder addition combined with low heat input increased the biphasic ratio across the different zones of the dissimilar welded samples. Although the austenite volume fraction increased in the 2304 heat-affected zone (HAZ) near to 25%, it was not sufficient according to international standards. The obtained results led to the maintenance of the 50/50 phase percentage in the 2507 HAZ welded joint side, as well as to the increment of the austenite percentage in the 2304 HAZ. Full article

In this paper, the effects of thermal aging in the 650–850 °C range on the localized corrosion behaviour of duplex stainless steel (DSS) 2304 was investigated. Pitting corrosion resistance was assessed by pitting potential (E_pitt) and critical pitting temperature (CPT) determination, while the degree of sensitisation (DOS) to intergranular corrosion (IGC) was evaluated by double loop electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation (DL-EPR). The susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking (SCC), evaluated in standard NACE TM-0177 solution at pH 2.7 and 25 °C, with the addition of S₂O₃²⁻ at 10⁻³ M, resulted in general good agreement with pitting and IGC behaviour. In fact, as-received DSS 2304 aged for 5 min at 650 °C or 750 °C presented a high resistance to localized corrosion. The alloy corrosion behaviour was severely impaired with an aging time of 60 min at 650 °C and of 10 or 60 min at 750 °C, due to the precipitation of finely distributed M₂₃C₆-type chromium carbides at ferrite/austenite interphases, which determined the formation of chromium and molybdenum depleted areas. The behaviour of samples aged at 850 °C also depended on the aging time, but, at 60 min, the rediffusion of passivating elements produced a recovery of the alloy resistance to pitting, IGC and SCC. Full article

Transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding of 6063 aluminum alloy (Al-6063) and duplex alloy 2304 stainless steel (UNS S32304) was performed using copper foil as an interlayer between the base metals. A compression load was applied normal to the specimens. Metallurgical examination of the produced joints showed three distinct regions including a reaction zone, diffusion affected zone, and the base metals. The diffusion of copper into aluminum resulted in an Al–Cu eutectic structure. However, the oxide layer on the aluminum surface controlled the dissolution behavior of copper and the extent of its wettability with the base metals. Although voids and intermetallic compounds were detected at the interfaces of the processed joints, a defect free joint was produced at 570 °C. In addition, the results from corrosion tests showed that the use of copper as an interlayer decreased the corrosion resistance of the joints. However, increase in thickness of the joining reaction zone with increasing bonding temperature was observed to increase corrosion resistance. Full article

The stress-corrosion cracking (SCC) behaviour of two lean-duplex stainless steels (DSS 2304 and LDSS 2404) was studied by slow strain-rate tests (SSRT) in 20% NaCl solution at 80 °C (pH about 6) and in NACE TM-0177 solution at 25 °C (pH 2.7), both in the absence and in the presence of thiosulphate ions (S₂O₃²⁻). The SCC susceptibility of the two alloys was compared to that of LDSS 2101 investigated in a previous study. LDSS 2404 was always immune to SCC, while DSS 2304 (and LDSS 2101) suffered this corrosion form at specific concentrations. The high SCC resistance of DSS 2404 in both environments was connected to its high Mo content, while the significant SCC susceptibility of LDSS 2101 in NACE TM-0177 solution was likely due to the high Mn content of the alloy. Full article

The influence of the weld metal chemistry on the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) susceptibility of dissimilar weldments between 310S austenitic stainless steel and 2304 duplex steels was investigated by constant load tests and microstructural examination. Two filler metals (E309L and E2209) were used to produce fusion zones of different chemical compositions. The SCC results showed that the heat affected zone (HAZ) on the 2304 base metal side of the weldments was the most susceptible region to SCC for both filler metals tested. The SCC results also showed that the weldments with 2209 duplex steel filler metal presented the best SCC resistance when compared to the weldments with E309L filler metal. The lower SCC resistance of the dissimilar joint with 309L austenitic steel filler metal may be attributed to (1) the presence of brittle chi/sigma phase in the HAZ on the 2304 base metal, which produced SC cracks in this region and (2) the presence of a semi-continuous delta-ferrite network in the fusion zone which favored the nucleation and propagation of SC cracks from the fusion zone to HAZ of the 2304 stainless steel. Thus, the SC cracks from the fusion zone associated with the SC cracks of 2304 HAZ decreased considerably the time-of-fracture on this region, where the fracture occurred. Although the dissimilar weldment with E2209 filler metal also presented SC cracks in the HAZ on the 2304 side, it did not present the delta ferrite network in the fusion zone due to its chemical composition. Fractography analyses showed that the mixed fracture mode was predominant for both filler metals used. Full article

The influence of surface grinding and microstructure on chloride induced stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of 2304 duplex stainless steel has been investigated. Grinding operations were performed both parallel and perpendicular to the rolling direction of the material. SCC tests were conducted in boiling magnesium chloride according to ASTM G36; specimens were exposed both without external loading and with varied levels of four-point bend loading. Residual stresses were measured on selected specimens before and after exposure using the X-ray diffraction technique. In addition, in-situ surface stress measurements subjected to four-point bend loading were performed to evaluate the deviation between the actual applied loading and the calculated values according to ASTM G39. Micro-cracks, initiated by grinding induced surface tensile residual stresses, were observed for all the ground specimens but not on the as-delivered surfaces. Loading transverse to the rolling direction of the material increased the susceptibility to chloride induced SCC. Grinding induced tensile residual stresses and micro-notches in the as-ground surface topography were also detrimental. Full article