Determination of the Quality of the Welded Joint of Duplex Steel 1.4462 using Fracture Mechanics

Abstract

The microstructure of duplex stainless steels at room temperature is austenitic-ferritic in the ratio of 50% austenite and 50% ferrite. These materials have high corrosion resistance. Recognizing this property, duplex steels have found their application in practice for operating temperatures ranging from -50 °C to 350 °C. In the fields of thermomechanics and petrochemicals, these materials are used more and more. The purpose of this work is to define the quality level of the welded joint of duplex steel 1.4462 (X2CrNiMoN22-5-3) using fracture mechanics methods. The welding of sheets with a thickness of 10 mm was performed using the conventional MAG (Metal Active Gas) procedure. Test results have confirmed the high level of quality of the welded joint.