Microstructural Development during Welding of Silicon- and Aluminum-Based Transformation-Induced Plasticity Steels—Inclusion and Elemental Partitioning Analysis

Abstract

Microstructural development in gas tungsten arc (GTA) welded silicon- and aluminum-based transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) steels was studied by optical and electron microscopy. The fusion zone (FZ) of both welds contained complex inclusions. Energy-dispersive spectroscopic (EDS) analysis on these inclusions showed that the center of the inclusions contained oxides of silicon and aluminum in silicon- and aluminum-based steels, respectively. Epitaxial enrichment of manganese, sulfur, and phosphorous was found on the oxides in the inclusions, resulting in depletion of solutes in solid solution and thereby reducing the stability of austenite in the fusion zone. The fusion line of aluminum-based steel weldments contained higher amounts of allotriomorphic ferrite than silicon-based steel weldments due the partitioning of aluminum at the fusion line during solidification. The retained austenite (RA) contents in the heat-affected zones (HAZs) and FZs of both TRIP steels were found to be about 8 and 4 pct by volume, respectively.