Cryogenic stability of retained austenite in Fe–Cr–Ni weld metals obtained by laser welding

• Published in: Journal of materials science 2021-08, Vol.56 (24), p.13841-13858
• Main Authors: Xin, Dongqun, Lu, Shun, Cai, Yan, Hua, Xueming
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alloying elements; Alloys; Carbon content; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemical composition; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chromium nickel alloys; Classical Mechanics; Cryogenic treatment; Crystallography and Scattering Methods; Hardness; Heat treating; Iron; Laser beam welding; Low temperature; Manganese; Martensite; Martensitic transformations; Materials Science; Materials substitution; Metals; Metals & Corrosion; Nickel base alloys; Nickel steel; Nickel steels; Polymer Sciences; Retained austenite; Solid Mechanics; Strain concentration; Thermal stability; Weld metal; Welding
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1007/s10853-021-06150-3

Fe–Cr–Ni alloy is the most potential substitute for Ni-based alloys as consumable in low-temperature nickel steel welding. In this study, six groups of Fe–Cr–Ni weld metals with different chemical composition were fabricated by single-pass laser welding. The volume fraction of retained austenite (RA) in the weld metals in as-welded condition increased from 0 to 30.2% with the increment of amounts of alloy elements (Cr, Ni and Mn). The thermal stability of RA was investigated by deep cryogenic treatment (DCT) to see whether sufficient RA can be maintained at low temperature. The results revealed that if the initial content of RA was