Microstructural studies and impact toughness of dissimilar weldments between AISI 316 L and AH36 steels by FCAW

In this study, AISI 316 L austenitic stainless steel and AH36 low-alloy ship building steel pair were joined with flux-cored arc welding method by using E309LT1-1/4 filler metal under four different shielding gas compositions containing CO2 at different ratios. Microstructure, impact toughness of welded materials, and their microhardness distribution throughout joining were determined. In macro- and microstructure examinations, stereo optical microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM), SEM/energy dispersive spectroscopy, and SEM/mapping analysis techniques were used. After notched impact toughness, fracture surfaces were examined using the scanning electron microscope. This study investigated effects of shielding gas composition on microstructure, impact toughness, and microhardness distribution of transition zone between AH36 steel and weld metal of joined material. It is observed that based on an increase in amount of CO2 in shielding gas, impact toughness values of the weldment decreased. Microhardness values change throughout weld metal depended on shielding gas composition. Moreover, an increase in amount of CO2 within shielding gas decreased δ-ferrite amount in weld metal. The increase in amount of CO2 within shielding gas leads to expanded transition zone in interface between AH36 and weld metal and also affects notched impact toughness values negatively due to the inclusion amounts occurring in weld metal and hence caused it to decrease.