Designing of CK45 carbon steel and AISI 304 stainless steel dissimilar welds

Gas tungsten arc welding of CK45 and AISI304 stainless steel was performed through preparation of different types of samples using ER308L and ERNi-1 wires. Welded samples were studied by different techniques including optical metallography, scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray diffraction, hardness measurements and impact test. It was observed that in the buttered specimen, the structure of the weld metal was completely austenitic while the microstructure of unbuttered sample was duplex ferritic-austenitic. M23C6-type carbides were observed within the weld metal of both as-weld specimen types. Effects of different post-weld heat treatments (PWHTs) were investigated. The experimented results concluded that simultaneous grain growth and carbides precipitation were competitive during PWHT. Also, there were not any indication related to sigma-phase in as-welded and PWHTed specimens due to their lower Cr/Ni ratios and insufficient preservation times.