Detrimental Cr-rich Phases Precipitation on SAF 2205 Duplex Stainless Steels Welds After Heat Treatment

摘要

The austeno-ferritic Stainless Steels are commonly employed in various applications requiring structural performances with enhanced corrosion resistance. Their characteristics can be worsened if the material is exposed to thermal cycles, since the high-temperature decomposition of ferrite causes the formation of detrimental secondary phases. The Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) process is currently adopted for joining DSS owing to its relatively simple execution, cost savings, and using molten slag and granular flux from protecting the seam of atmospheric gases. However, since it produces high contents of δ-ferrite in the heat affected zone and low content of γ-austenite in the weld, high-Ni filler materials must be employed, to avoid excessive ferritization of the joint. The present work is aimed to study the effect of 3 and 6 hours isothermal heat treatments at 850?°C and 900?°C in a SAF 2205 DSS welded joint in terms of phases precipitation. The results showed the presence of σ-phase at any time-temperature combination, precipitating at the δ/γ interphases and often accompanied by the presence of χ-phase. However, certain differences in secondary phases amounts were revealed among the different zones constituting the joint, ascribable both to peculiar elements partitioning and to the different morphology pertaining to each microstructure.