This study investigates the weldability of gas tungsten arc (GTA) on stainless steel (STS) 304 using STS 308L filler and elucidates the cryogenic properties in STS 304 weld. GTA welding were performed with welding current of 90 A, welding velocity of 10.5 cm/min, Ar shielding gas, and in a single-pass. The GTA welding conditions were configured to ensure a full penetrating weld. For full penetration weld metal (WM), a small amount of δ-ferrite formed. Additionally, the WM of STS 304 exhibited larger dendrite packets compared to the grain size of base metal (BM). Therefore, the drop of hardness in WM was more significant compared to BM. The GTA welds had tensile properties that were inferior to BM at 298 K, and the tensile fracture occurred near the centerline of the transverse welds. The cryogenic tensile strength of GTA welds was superior to the room-temperature property due to the significant phase transformation of martensite at 77 K. However, the elongation decreased.

As the need for duplex stainless steel (DSS) increases, it is necessary to evaluate hydrogen stress cracking (HSC) in dissimilar welded joints (WJs) of DSS and carbon steel. This study aims to investigate the effect of the weld microstructure on the HSC behaviour of dissimilar gas-tungsten arc welds of DSS and carbon steel. In situ slow-strain rate testing (SSRT) with hydrogen charging was conducted for transverse WJs, which fractured in the softened heat-affected zone of the carbon steel under hydrogen-free conditions. However, HSC occurred at the martensite band and the interface of the austenite and martensite bands in the type-II boundary. The band acted as an HSC initiation site because of the presence of a large amount of trapped hydrogen and a high strain concentration during the SSRT with hydrogen charging. Even though some weld microstructures such as the austenite and martensite bands in type-II boundaries were harmless under normal hydrogen-free conditions, they had a negative effect in a hydrogen atmosphere, resulting in the premature rupture of the weld. Eventually, a premature fracture occurred during the in situ SSRT in the type-II boundary because of the hydrogen-enhanced strain-induced void (HESIV) and hydrogen-enhanced localised plasticity (HELP) mechanisms.

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