Alexander M Galloway, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom Norman Mcpherson, Bae Systems - Naval Ships, Glasgow, United Kingdom

SESSION 13: STAINLESS STEEL WELDING
Nitrogen retention/enrichment of 316LN austenitic stainless steel welds.

Alexander M Galloway, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Norman McPherson, BAE Systems – Naval Ships, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Introduction
The development of nitrogen enriched austenitic stainless steels has been a source of
recent interest due to the abundant availability of nitrogen and by the manner in which nitrogen
contributes several beneficial material property effects over a wide service temperature range.
It is widely recognised that, in the case of nitrogen enriched 316L, improvements in mechanical
property and corrosion resistance are derived from the interstitial influence of nitrogen within
the matrix. Consequently, having the best combination of strength, toughness and corrosion
resistance relationships found in any group of steels, nitrogen strengthened austenitic
stainless steels have tremendous scope for application in areas as diverse as the cryogenic,
nuclear, power generation and chemical transportation industries.
For some time it has been known that when welding nitrogen enriched austenitic
stainless steels that denitration of the weld metal occurs. The resultant depletion of nitrogen
from the weld region results in a reduction of the unique property relationship referred to
previously. This requires the loss of base metal nitrogen to be compensated for by an increase
in the nickel and manganese content of the welding wire. As there is a constant focus on the
cost of nickel due to market fluctuations, and given that the cost of nickel basically governs the
cost of stainless steel, there is a strong economic case for controlling the degree of nitrogen
loss from the weld region during welding.
Weldability studies have been conducted on 316LN by varying the arc shielding gas
composition during autogenous GTAW and FCAW. Mechanical property and corrosion
resistance data will be discussed. Additionally, computational fluid dynamic (CFD) modelling of
the arc plasma as a function of shielding gas composition will be highlighted.
Procedure
The test plate material used in this work was a standard 12mm thick AISI 316LN,
which is a nitrogen enriched, molybdenum bearing austenitic stainless steel. Autogenous
bead on plate GTAW was used to assess factors such as geometry of the welds being
produced. However, the main work was carried out using a solid 1.2mm diameter 316L welding
wire with the FCAW process using an electrode positive polarity.
Welding parameters were in the range 25-35 volts, and 225-300 amps, with a spray
transfer mode. Typical analysis of the welding wire and the plate are shown in Table 1, where
the overmatching of nickel can be seen. Also included is the overall weld metal analysis for
each variation of the shielding gas used. From that, calculation of the chromium and nickel
equivalents required to determine the Primary Solidification Mode (PSM), were carried out.
The weld preparation was a 60° inclusive angle with a 2.5mm root face, a 2mm root gap
and a ceramic backing tile on the root face. Five mechanized passes were used to complete
the welds. The shielding gases used have been detailed in Table 2, utilising a base case of
100% argon. Thereafter the nitrogen content was maintained at 15%, with variations in the
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Table 1. Chemical analysis (wt%) of 316LN plate; 316L welding wire; weld metal
for different shielding gases.
12mm Welding Weld Metal

steel plate wire Type 1 Type 2 Type 3 Type 4
Carbon 0.013 0.016 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.013
Silicon 0.51 0.51 0.50 0.60 0.60 0.60
Sulphur 0.007 0.005 0.005 0.005 0.005 0.005
Phosphorus 0.024 0.019 0.018 0.018 0.018 0.018
Manganese 1.15 1.81 1.50 1.40 1.40 1.40
Nickel 10.1 12.40 11.5 11.7 11.7 11.6
Chromium 17.37 19.00 17.4 17.8 17.7 17.7
Molybdenum 2.72 2.95 2.90 2.90 2.90 2.90
Nitrogen 0.13 0.039 0.0770 0.140 0.147 0.153
Table 2. Shielding gas mixtures used.
argon and helium contents. Weld metal nitrogen

Shielding contents were determined, using a LECO
% % % analyzer, on samples taken from various
Gas argon nitrogen helium positions in the weld.
Type 1 100 0 0 Mechanical testing was carried out using

standard techniques, and corrosion resistance
Type 2 85 15 0 was assessed against The Strauss Test (BS EN
ISO 3651-2). Weld metal ferrite content was
Type 3 80 15 5 established using an image analysis technique
and Ferritescope equipment. Solidification
Type 4 65 15 20 cracking resistance was determined using a
circular patch test. Plate temperature was
measured using two methods, thermographic imaging and with thermocouples attached to the
plate. Microhardness was determined using a Vickers Microhardness Tester, with a load of
100g.
Results and Conclusions

FCAW trials on 316LN provided favourable weldability conditions for all the shielding
gas conditions investigated. The addition of nitrogen and helium to the argon carrier gas led to
improvements in the mechanical and corrosion properties compared to the base case of 100%
argon. Absorption of nitrogen by the weld metal was found to increase with nett increases in
the shielding gas helium content and this was attributed to the higher ionization potential
associated with the helium containing arc plasma. However, nitrogen absorption was not
found to obey Sievert’s Law.
The increase in weld metal nitrogen level resulted in a decrease in the weld δ-ferrite
level. This was not unexpected as nitrogen, like nickel, has an austenite stabilizing effect. Such
levels of δ-ferrite would normally result in a tendency for solidification cracking. However, as
the resultant weld metal weld impurity levels (P + S = 0.023%) were significantly low, the
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occurrence of this form of cracking was not identified. PSM’s were found to be ferrite-austenite
in all cases and this has positively contributed to the absence of solidification cracking in the
fully austenitic weld metal. Intermetallic phases or carbides were not observed during this
study.
CFD analysis of the weld region showed an increased temperature in the weld plasma as the
nitrogen and helium content of the shielding gas increased. Increased velocity magnitudes
were observed as the shielding gas nitrogen and helium levels increased and this led to
turbulence of the gas column and stirring of the weld pool, which has created favourable
conditions for nitrogen absorption into the weld metal.
This work has shown that potential exists to retain/increase the nitrogen content of 316L weld
metal. The effects derived from the ionisation potentials of nitrogen and helium have been
shown to increase the weld plasma temperature, which has been verified by plate temperature
increases. Consequently, the increased nitrogen content of the weld metal has produced
highly favourable combinations of mechanical properties and corrosion resistance.
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Alexander M Galloway, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom Norman Mcpherson, Bae Systems - Naval Ships, Glasgow, United Kingdom

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Alexander M Galloway, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom Norman Mcpherson, Bae Systems - Naval Ships, Glasgow, United Kingdom

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SESSION 13: STAINLESS STEEL WELDING

Nitrogen retention/enrichment of 316LN austenitic stainless steel welds.

12mm Welding Weld Metal

Table 2. Shielding gas mixtures used.

argon and helium contents. Weld metal nitrogen

Type 1 100 0 0 Mechanical testing was carried out using

Results and Conclusions

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