This work focuses on the identification of secondary phases in a superduplex stainless steel multipass welding performed by means of the GMAW process using two filler metals, one of the duplex type and the other of the superduplex type. To identify the secondary phases in the welding metal and the heat affected zone, the samples were analyzed by optical microscopy. The results showed a considerable formation of sigma phase in the welding metal in both samples, making evident the total consumption of ferrite. On the other hand, the heat affected zone corresponding to the superduplex-type filler metal, presents a remarkable sensitization, probably due to the occurrence of chromium nitrides in the center of the ferrite grains while the heat affected zone corresponding to the duplex-type filler metal depicts a more balanced microstructure of ferrite, austenite and secondary austenite.Keywords: thermal cycle, superduplex stainless steel, sigma phase, welding, GMAW, heat affected zone, welding metal. ResumenEste trabajo se centra en la identificación de las fases secundarias en una soldadura multipasos de acero inoxidable superdúplex realizada mediante el proceso GMAW, empleando dos metales de aporte, uno de tipo dúplex y el otro de tipo superdúplex. Para identificar las fases secundarias en el metal de soldadura y la zona afectada térmicamente, las muestras se analizaron por microscopía óptica. Los resultados mostraron una formación considerable de fase sigma en el metal de soldadura en ambas muestras, haciendo evidente el consumo total de la fase ferrita. Por otra parte, la zona afectada térmicamente correspondiente a la unión con metal de aporte del tipo superdúplex, presenta una sensibilización notable probablemente debido a la incurrencia de nitruros de cromo en el centro del grano ferrítico, mientras que la zona afectada térmicamente que corresponde a la unión con el metal de aporte del tipo dúplex, presenta una microestructura más equilibrada de ferrita, austenita y austenita secundaria.Descriptores: ciclo térmico, acero inoxidable superdúplex, fase sigma, soldadura, GMAW, zona afectada térmicamente, metal de soldadura.

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The microstructure of the root pass in a superduplex stainless steel multipass welding was investigated. Results showed that the welding metal has an austenite matrix with particles of sigma phase formed in the ferrite/austenite interface and intragranularly.Eventhough the filler metal is intended to keep the phase balance after welding,the welding metal presented a considerable decrease in the ferrite content and a high proportion of sigma phase. Despite the exposition to thermal cycles on every pass, the heat affected zone presented a microstructure consisting of ferrite and austenite with a small proportion of sigma phase.Therefore,the thermal cycles of every welding pass allowed the decomposition of ferrite into austenite and sigma phase in points close to the heat source, changing the final microstructure.

Samples of hyperduplex stainless steels were produced experimentally and exposed to different conventional annealing heat treatments in order to obtain the microstructural balance of 50% ferrite and 50% austenite. To differentiate the ferrite and austenite from any secondary phase, selective etching was used and quantitative metallography was performed to measure the percentage of phases. Results showed that conventional annealing heat treatments promote the transformation from ferrite to sigma phase and secondary austenite, suggesting a higher occurrence of sigma phase in the experimental hyperduplex alloys compared to other duplex alloys due to the superior content of chromium and molybdenum. On the other hand, a balanced microstructure free of secondary phases was accomplished increasing the temperature of the annealing heat treatment, which allowed the transformation of ferrite into austenite during cooling.