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Title: Ferrite morphology and variations in ferrite content in austenitic stainless steel welds

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6271743

Four distinct ferrite morphologies have been identified in type 308 stainless steel multipass welds: vermicular, lacy, acicular, and globular. The first three ferrite types are related to transformations following solidification and the fourth is related to the shape instability of the residual ferrite. An earlier study showed that most of the ferrite observed in austenitic stainless steel welds contaning a duplex structure may be identified as residual primary ferrite resulting from incomplete delta ..-->.. ..gamma.. transformation during solidification and/or residual ferrite after Widmanstaetten austenite precipitation in primary ferrite. These modes of ferrite formation can be used to explain observed ferrite morphologies in austenitic stainless steel welds. Variations in ferrite content within the weld were related to weld metal composition, ferrite morphology, and dissolution of ferrite resulting from thermal cycles during subsequent weld passes. An investigation of the type 308 stainless steel filler metal solidified over cooling rates ranging from 7 to 1600/sup 0/C/s showed that the cooling rate of the weld metal within the freezing range of the alloy affects the amount of ferrite in the microstructure very litte. However, the scale of the solidification substructure associated with various solidification rates may influence the ferrite dissolution kinetics.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-26
OSTI ID:
6271743
Report Number(s):
ORNL/TM-7810; ON: DE81027826
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English