Characterization of Solidification Cracking in 304HCu Austenitic Stainless Steel Welds

Alloy 304HCu is an austenitic stainless, developed from TP304H with the addition of copper and niobium for power plant applications. Solidification cracking is major issue in welding of austenitic stainless steels. In this paper, solidification cracking behaviour of alloy 304HCu with three different fillers viz., nickel fortified near-matching alloy 304HCu, ER NiCrCoMo-1 and ER NiCrMo-3 using Varestraint weldability testing. The solidification cracking behaviour of the parent material and different welds were assessed under different strain rates and the mechanisms were discussed, addressing the microstructural evolution and compositional changes. The weld materials were characterized for their mechanical properties both at ambient conditions and at elevated temperature, highlighting their usefulness in the power sector.