Microstructure, mechanical properties and pitting corrosion of TIG weld joints alternative low-cost austenitic stainless steel grade 216

This present work aims to study 200 series austenitic stainless steel as a replacement for 300 series austenitic stainless steel. This is due to 200 series austenitic stainless steel being inexpensive and also due to its popularity in Southeast Asia. This study investigated the behavior and properties of the weld metal produced from 216 grade austenitic stainless steel. The microstructure, mechanical properties and pitting corrosion resistance that were produced by the tungsten inert gas welding process (TIG) with filler metal ER316 are studied in this paper. The variable parameters of the welding process were heat inputs at high (0.78 kJ/mm), medium (0.52 kJ/mm) and low (0.39 kJ/mm) ranges. It was found that the weld metal with a high heat input level increased the width of the face weld, root weld, PMZ and HAZ. However, the opposite result was achieved when the heat input was reduced. The microstructure of all the weld metals formed delta-ferrite content in the austenite matrix. This was shown to be greater in the weld metal with a low heat input, under the solidification mode FA. The results were shown to agree with the predictions outlined in the Schaeffler diagram. In addition, it was discovered that a high heat input level produced a more discontinuous form of delta-ferrite content than for the low heat input model. This corresponded to the dendrite length and inter-dendrite spacing in the weld zone. The hardness, ultimate strength and elongation tended to decrease when the heat input increased. The fractures for all the weld metals were found to occur in the location of the weld zone. The pitting corrosion resistance increased when the heat input was reduced, which related to the volume of delta-ferrite content in the weld metal zone. This corresponds to the pitting corrosion resistance in the weld metals being higher than for the base metal material. Furthermore, it was found that pitting occurred initially at the interface between the delta-ferrite and austenite phase and the corrosion then spread into the austenite phase.