Microstructure and mechanical properties of ultralow carbon high-strength steel weld metals with or without Cu−Nb addition

Xing-hai Yang; Xiao-hua Chen; Shi-wei Pan; Zi-dong Wang; Kai-xuan Chen; Da-yong Li; Jun-wei Qin

doi:10.1007/s12613-020-2159-0

Volume 28 Issue 1

Jan. 2021

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Article Navigation > International Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials > 2021 > 28(1): 120-130

Xing-hai Yang, Xiao-hua Chen, Shi-wei Pan, Zi-dong Wang, Kai-xuan Chen, Da-yong Li, and Jun-wei Qin, Microstructure and mechanical properties of ultralow carbon high-strength steel weld metals with or without Cu−Nb addition, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 28(2021), No. 1, pp. 120-130. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-020-2159-0

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Xing-hai Yang, Xiao-hua Chen, Shi-wei Pan, Zi-dong Wang, Kai-xuan Chen, Da-yong Li, and Jun-wei Qin, Microstructure and mechanical properties of ultralow carbon high-strength steel weld metals with or without Cu−Nb addition, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 28(2021), No. 1, pp. 120-130. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-020-2159-0

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Research Article

Microstructure and mechanical properties of ultralow carbon high-strength steel weld metals with or without Cu−Nb addition

+ Author Affiliations

Corresponding authors:
Xiao-hua Chen E-mail: chenxh@skl.ustb.edu.cn

Zi-dong Wang E-mail: wangzd@mater.ustb.edu.cn
Received: 20 April 2020; Revised: 5 August 2020; Accepted: 6 August 2020; Available online: 10 August 2020

Abstract

Abstract

Two types of ultralow carbon steel weld metals (with and without added Cu−Nb) were prepared using gas metal arc welding (GMAW) to investigate the correlation between the microstructure and mechanical properties of weld metals. The results of microstructure characterization showed that the weld metal without Cu−Nb was mainly composed of acicular ferrite (AF), lath bainite (LB), and granular bainite (GB). In contrast, adding Cu−Nb to the weld metal caused an evident transformation of martensite and grain coarsening. Both weld metals had a high tensile strength (more than 950 MPa) and more than 17% elongation; however, their values of toughness deviated greatly, with a difference of approximately 40 J at −50°C. Analysis of the morphologies of the fracture surfaces and secondary cracks further revealed the correlation between the microstructure and mechanical properties. The effects of adding Cu and Nb on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the weld metal are discussed; the indication is that adding Cu−Nb increases the hardenability and grain size of the weld metal and thus deteriorates the toughness.
- weld metal;
- microstructure;
- mechanical properties;
- hardenability;
- grain coarsening

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