Use of electron microprobe analysis to explain metallurgical phenomena and their effect on properties when welding stainless steel

A modified electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) instrument containing six wavelength dispersive spectrometers has been used for mapping cross-sections of stainless steel base material and welds. It made it possible to measure the composition in specific small areas and to illustrate element partitioning; ranging from centerline segregation to concealed sub-microstructure. Examples from industrial research are given to demonstrate the versatile application field for this established technology. EPMA was used to study the chemical composition of gas tungsten arc welds in the lean duplex grade UNS S32101 performed with and without nitrogen additions to the argon-based shielding gas. The level of nitrogen in the shielding gas not only determined the weld metal nitrogen content, but also affected evaporation of other elements from the weld metal. Mapping could also be used to reveal detailed information about the dendritic substructure in welds and the fusion line that could not be seen with conventional microscopy as the weld metal microstructure is controlled by nitrogen. With the measured local composition, it was possible to calculate the pitting resistance equivalent number, PRE = Cr + 3.3 × Mo + 16 × N (wt%) and thereby visualize the local variation in the microstructure. Nitrogen is strongly concentrated in the austenite and has the largest impact on the PRE. Pitting corrosion testing confirmed that the ferrite phase was most susceptible to pitting attack and that a higher average PRE does not significantly increase the critical pitting temperature. The EPMA instrument was also applied to study all-weld metal of E347T0 type flux-cored wire with and without bismuth additions. Bismuth can have a negative effect on weld metal ductility after post-weld heat treatment and/or applications at high temperature. It has been suggested that this is due to grain boundary bismuth segregation, and it has been debated whether it occurs as bismuth or bismuth oxide Bi2O3. Hot tensile testing confirmed that the bismuth content affects the weld metal ductility at 700 °C and EPMA proved that bismuth segregates as round particles after post-weld heat treatment and not as bismuth oxide.