Influence of multiple thermal cycles on microstructure of heat-affected zone in TIG-welded super duplex stainless steel

The influence of heat input and multiple welding cycles on the microstructure of the heat-affected zone in autogenously TIG-welded 6 mm 2507 type super duplex stainless steel plates was investigated. In order to produce multiple thermal cycles, one to four pass bead-on-plate welds were made with arc energies of 0.47 and 1.08 kJ/mm, corresponding to heat inputs of 0.37 and 0.87 kJ/mm. Several thermocouples were attached to record thermal cycles on the front and back sides of the plates. Finite element modelling was successfully done to map and correlate measured and calculated peak temperatures. Only minor changes were seen in the ferrite content at 1 and 2 mm from the fusion boundary. Nitrides formed in all passes of the low heat input samples in a region next to the fusion boundary, but only after the third and fourth passes of the high heat input samples. Sigma phase precipitated only in a zone heated to a peak temperature in the range of approximately 828 to 1028 °C. Multiple reheating was found to promote precipitation of sigma phase relatively more than slower cooling. A precipitation free zone was observed between the nitride and sigma phase bands. The precipitation behaviour could be understood from equilibrium phase diagrams, evaluation of local thermal cycles and by correlating results from the modelling and measurements of peak temperatures. It is suggested that the peak temperature, the accumulated time in the critical temperature range between approximately 828 and 1028 °C, and the number of thermal cycles are the most relevant criteria when evaluating the risk of sigma phase formation.