Effect of MC carbide formation on weld solidification cracking susceptibility of austenitic stainless steel

The effect of secondary phase formation such as MC carbide during welding on solidification cracking susceptibility of fully austenitic stainless steels with various amounts of alloying elements and carbon was investigated. The solidification cracking susceptibility of Fe-24mass%Cr-26mass%Ni stainless steels with various amounts of niobium, titanium, zirconium, and carbon was evaluated by the Trans-Varestraint test. The addition of alloying elements such as niobium, titanium, and zirconium increased the brittle temperature range (BTR). The BTRs depend on the type and combination of the alloying elements and carbon content. Titanium was the most influential element on the increase in BTR compared to the other elements. The increase in carbon content tended to decrease the BTR, especially for the specimen containing titanium. The alloying elements formed phases such as the film-like MC-type carbide (MC) phase and granular Laves phase in the specimens containing 0.05% C, and a lot of the acicular MC phases in the specimens containing 0.20% C. The start temperature of the secondary phase formation differed depending on the type of the alloying element, and the temperature tended to increase with increasing carbon content. When the additions of niobium and titanium were compared, the amount of titanium segregation during solidification was smaller due to the formation of MC phases. Solidification simulation revealed that a higher amount and faster formation of the MC phase during solidification in 2Ti–20C contributed to reducing the BTR by increasing the carbon content. Thus, it is considered that the weld solidification cracking susceptibility depended on the type and amount of formation morphology, as well as start temperature during solidification corresponding to the composition of alloying elements and carbon.