Solidification cracking nature and sequence of different stainless steels

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For magnesium, nickel, and stainless steel, solidification cracking is a critical failure mode that has been extensively studied for decades. The nature of solidification cracking can be investigated through experiments or theoretical calculations. Different models have been proposed for these calculations, including the cracking susceptibility index (CSI), which was developed in the last decade. Building a CSI map for a group of metals facilitates referencing or comparison when the metal is applied in casting, welding, or developing new alloys. In this study, the CSI of various types of stainless steel was examined, and CSI maps were constructed. For each type of alloy, the calculations include more than ten experimentally determined compositions from commercial alloys. The CSI maps of stainless steel were constructed and compared with those of the Cr and Ni equivalents, as well as their respective phase diagrams. The CSI sequence matched the cracking results of previous studies on austenitic steels. The ferritic type had a lower CSI but a higher cracking rate, which could be attributed to the ductility gap during the austenite-ferrite transformation, as reported in previous studies.