Investigation of microstructure and mechanical properties of AISI 304/DUROSTAT 500 steel combined by TIG double-sided arc welding method

Welding is a reliable and efficient metal-combining process. Dissimilar metals and alloys are sometimes combined with difficulty. TIG process is highly preferred in applications requiring a high level of joining quality or precise welding. TIG double-sided arc welding is a new method developed to improve the welding efficiency. TIG welding is the main welding technique used in the nuclear and power plant industries. TIG welding produces precise heat input control and low equipment cost and high quality welding. AISI 304 austenitic stainless steels are widely used in today's industry, They show excellent corrosion resistance, antibacterial property and workability. AISI 304 and DUROSTAT 500 steel plates were joined by double-sided TIG welding without weld edge. Microstructural differences of welded joints were investigated by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Optical Microscope (OM), Energy Dispersion Spectrometry (EDS), Elemental Mapping (Mapping), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Electron Back Diffraction Diffraction (EBSD). Mechanical properties of welded joints were investigated by microhardness, notch impact and tensile tests. In addition, fracture surface morphology was evaluated by SEM. This study was covered five headings. In the first part; welding and methods, stainless steels, DUROSTAT steels and their properties were explained. In the second part; related literature was searched. In the third part; information about the experimental studies were given. In the fourth part; The results of the experiments were analyzed and discussed. In the fifth part, a general evaluations of the experimental results were made.