Influence of heat input and solubilizing heat treatment on the impact properties of SAW joints in SAF 2205 duplex steel

Abstract

In this study the influence of heat input (HI) and heat treatment on submerged arc welded duplex SAF 2205 steel joints has been evaluated. In particular, multi-pass welding operations have been performed on 18 mm thick plates using four different heat inputs; a post-weld solubilizing heat treatment has been carried out in order to reduce the microstructural effects on the structure of the heat affected zone (HAZ). Instrumented impact strength tests have been performed on Charpy samples machined from the welded joints; the total absorbed energy and the two complementary contributions of initiation and propagation energies have been evaluated and correlated to the percentages of ferrite and austenite. The microstructures and the fracture profiles have been observed using an optical microscope (OM) and quantitatively analyzed by means of an image analyzer. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) has been used to study the fractured surfaces. Hardness profiles have been performed across the joints in order to verify the hardness variations. A total absence of secondary phases has been found on the joints due to the performing of a suitable solubilizing heat treatment after the welding process. The results have shown that the impact properties of the samples have been mostly affected by the different heat inputs; in some cases a partial welding penetration has been found.