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The purpose of this paper is to study the corrosion of the coupling of two different types of stainless steel, austenitic and ferritic, used in the fabrication of water reservoirs in the solar energy industry.

Potentiodynamic polarization and gravimetric immersion tests were used to evaluate corrosion of the coupling of two different types of stainless steel, austenitic and ferritic.

The galvanic corrosion was not significant in the case of the coupling of AISI 304 and 444 steels. The difference of the open circuit potentials obtained for the AISI 304 and AISI 444 steels was 28 mV for the polished samples. The galvanic current density (i_g) was 55 nA/cm². The corrosion observed in the stainless steel couple was in the weld area.

The methodology used is adequate to evaluate generalized galvanic corrosion. The problem of the corrosion in the coupling of the stainless steels is a problem of localized corrosion and the observed 28 mV potential difference was lower than the dispersion of results usually obtained from readings of corrosion potentials in electrochemical cells.

The use of two different types of steel in contact with each other may lead to galvanic corrosion, and the welding of steel pieces may lead to several corrosion problems. Since the boiler may be used in different countries, subject to a great diversity of water quality, corrosion may be a significant problem.

Literature data of the AISI 444 steel corrosion behaviour are still scarce. The coupling of two different stainless steels (AISI 304 and 444) in the water reservoir manufacturing was a necessary requirement of the solar energy industry. The manufacturers of boilers must evaluate and quantify the corrosion processes, which occur in the equipment used in the solar energy industry. As the solar energy industry has matured in the last ten years, the corrosion of this equipment may be a significant problem in due course.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate interface characterization of CO₂ laser welded AISI 304 austenitic stainless steel and AISI 1010 low carbon steel couple. Laser welding experiments were carried under argon and helium atmospheres at 2000, 2250 and 2500 W heat inputs and 200‐300 cm/min welding speeds.

The microstructures of the welded joints and the heat affected zones (HAZ) were examined by optical microscopy, SEM, EDS and X‐Ray analysis. The tensile strength of the welded joints was measured.

The result of this study indicated that the width of welding zone and HAZ became much thinner depending on the increased welding speed. On the other hand, this width widened depending on the increased heat input. Tensile strength values also confirmed this result. The best properties were observed at the specimens welded under helium atmosphere, at 2500 W heat input and at 200 cm/min welding speed.

There are many reports which deal with the shape and solidification structure of the fusion zone of laser beam welds in relation to different laser parameters. However, the effect of all influencing factors of laser welding has up to now not been extensively researched. Much work is required for understanding the combined effect of laser parameters on the shape and microstructure of the fusion zone. This paper, therefore, is concerned with laser power, welding speed, defocusing distance and type of shielding gas and their effects on the fusion zone shape and final solidification structure of some stainless steels.

Friction welding is a solid state bonding process, where the joint between two metals has been established without melting the metal. The relative motion between the faying surfaces (surfaces to be joined) under the application of pressure promotes surface interaction, friction and heat generation which subsequently results in joint formation. Stainless steel is an iron based alloy, contains various combinations of other elements to give desired characteristics, and found a wider range of applications in the areas such as petro‐chemical, fertilizer, automotive, food processing, cryogenic, nuclear and beverage sectors. In order to exploit the complete advantages of stainless steels, suitable joining techniques are highly demanded. The Friction welding is an easily integrated welding method of stainless steel, which considered as non‐weldable through fusion welding. Grain coarsening, creep failure and failure at heat‐affected zone are the major limitations of fusion welding of similar stainless steels. Friction welding eliminates such pitfalls. In the present work an attempt is made to investigate experimentally, the mechanical and metallurgical properties of friction welded joints, namely, austenitic stainless steel (AISI 304) and ferritic stainless steel (AISI 430). Evaluation of the characteristics of welded similar stainless steel joints are carried out through tensile test, hardness measurement and metallurgical investigations.

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of post-annealing and post-tempering processes on the microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the AISI 304 stainless steel gas metal arc weldment.

Gas metal arc welding of AISI 304 stainless steel was carried out at an optimized processing condition. Thereafter, post-annealing and post-tempering processes were performed on the weldment. The microstructure, mechanical and electrochemical corrosion properties of the post-weld heat treated samples, as compared with the as-welded, were investigated.

The as-welded joint was characterized with sub-granular grain structure, martensite formation and Cr-rich carbides precipitates. This made it harder than the post-annealed and post-tempered joints. Because of slower cooling in the furnace, the post-annealed joint contained Cr-rich carbides precipitates. However, the microstructure of the post-tempered joint is more refined and significantly devoid of the carbide precipitates. Post-tempering process improved the elongation (∼23%), tensile (∼10%) and impact (∼31%) strengths of the gas metal arc AISI 304 stainless steel weldment, while post-annealing process improved the elongation (∼20%) and impact strength (∼72%). Owing to the refined grain structure and significant elimination of the Cr-rich carbide precipitates at the joint, the post-tempered joint exhibited better corrosion resistance in 3.5 Wt.% NaCl solution than the post-annealed and the as-welded joints.

The appropriate post-weld heat treatment that enhances microstructural homogeneity and quality of the AISI 304 gas metal arc welded joint was determined.

The purpose of this study is to conduct gas tungsten arc dissimilar welding of AISI 304 stainless steel and low carbon steel within a process window so as to investigate the effects of current, speed and gas flow rate (GFR) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the weldments.

The welding experiment was carried out at different combinations of parameters using WN-250S Kaierda electric welding machine. A combination of scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was used to examine the microstructure of the weldments. Micro-hardness and tensile tests were performed using Vickers hardness tester and Instron universal testing machine, respectively. ANOVA was used to analyze the significance of the parameters on the mechanical properties.

The microstructure of the weld region is characterized with dendritic structure with the existence of ferrite and austenite phases. The utilized parameters show significant effects on the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of the weldments. The current and GFR were found to be the most and least significant factors, respectively. Both the grain size and weld penetration contributed to the UTS of the weldments. The UTS (427-886 MPa) increased with decreasing current and welding speed. In all samples, the weld region exhibited higher hardness (297-396 HV) than the HAZ in the base metals (maximum of 223 Â ± 6 HV). All the three factors show significant effect with the welding speed contributing mostly to the hardness of the weld region.

The parametric combination that gives the optimum mechanical performance of the dissimilar gas tungsten arc weldments of AISI 304 stainless steel and low carbon steel was established.

The purpose of this paper is to model the corrosion rate behavior for two ferrous materials, carbon steel AISI 1020 and stainless steel AISI 304, immersed in ferric sulfate and ferric chloride solutions using D-optimal design with response surface methodology.

Experimental design addresses two factors (concentration and contact time) with multilevel categories, in order to predict and compare the corrosion rates of the studied materials immersed in flocculants solutions. A corrosion rate of specimens was calculated from mass loss determinations.

The authors used a polynomial model to fit the experimental values, thereby predicting significantly higher corrosion rates in ferric chloride solutions, as compared to ferric sulfate.

The authors propose a high fidelity model of the corrosion rate of each carbon steel and stainless steel material using D-optimal design with a response surface method (RSM).

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a study on friction characteristics of plasma, salt‐bath and gas nitrided layers produced in AISI 304 type austenitic and AISI 420 type martensitic stainless steels.

Plasma nitriding processes were carried out with DC‐pulsed plasma in 80% N₂+20% H₂ atmosphere at 450°C and 520°C for 8 h at a pressure of 2 mbar. Salt‐bath nitriding was performed in a cyanide‐cyanate salt‐bath at 570°C for 1.5 h. Gas nitriding was also conducted in NH₃ and CO₂ atmosphere at 570°C for 13 h. Characterization of all nitrided samples has been carried out by means of microstructure, microhardness, surface roughness measurement and friction coefficient. The morphologies of the worn surfaces of the nitrided samples were also observed using a scanning electron microscope. Friction characteristics of the nitrided samples have been investigated using a ball‐on‐disc friction and wear tester with a WC‐Co ball as the counterface under dry sliding conditions.

The plasma nitrided and salt‐bath nitrided layers on the 420 steel surfaces were much thicker than on the 304 steel surfaces. However, there was no obvious and homogeneous nitrided layer on the gas nitrided samples' surface. The plasma and salt‐bath nitriding techniques significantly increased the surface hardness of the 304 and 420 samples. The highest surface hardness of the 304 nitrided samples was obtained by the plasma nitrided technique at 520°C. On the other hand, the highest surface hardness of the 420 nitrided layers was observed in the 450°C plasma nitrided layer. Experimental friction test results showed that the salt‐bath and 450°C plasma nitrided layers were more effective in reducing the friction coefficient of the 304 and 420 stainless steels, respectively.

The relatively poor hardness and hence wear resistance of austenitic and martensitic stainless steels needs to be improved. Friction characteristic is a key property of performance for various applications of austenitic and martensitic stainless steels. This work has reported a comparison of friction characteristics of austenitic 304 and martensitic 420 stainless steels, modified using plasma, salt‐bath and gas nitriding processes. The paper is of significances for improving friction characteristics, indirectly wear performances, of austenitic and martensitic stainless steels.

Aims to determine if friction welding is suitable for welding austenitic stainless steel (AISI 304)

Uses an experimental continuous drive friction welding set‐up. Determined the strength, hardness and microstructure of the joined parts.

Finds that the joint strengths are 96 per cent of those of the base metals with no significant hardening.

Friction welding is an appropriate joining method for austenitic stainless steel (AISI 304).

Aids in understanding appropriate uses of friction welding for joining stainless steel.

Over the last three or four years, operators and contractors have become increasingly aware of the enormous cost being sustained as a result of corrosion on offshore rigs and installations. Many different approaches to combating these corrosion areas are being made, ranging from the use of exotic alloys, to the use of epoxy or rubber coatings. Generally speaking, there is a place and a use for each of these methods and to a large extent a natural selection of the optimum material is taking place. Stainless steel, in particular is increasing widely used.

Effect of grain size on degree of sensitization (DOS) was been evaluated in Nickel free steel. Manganese and nitrogen contained alloy is a Ni-free austenitic stainless steels (ASS) having type 202 grade. The main purpose of this investigation is to find the effect of recrystallization on the DOS of stainless steel after the thermo-mechanical processing (cold work and thermal aging).

In the present investigation, the deformation of 202 grade analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and microstructural testing. Optical microstructure of Ni-free ASS has been done for cold worked samples with thermally aged at 900°C_6 h. Double loop electrochemical potentiodynamic reactivation test used for findings of degree of sensitization.

Ni-free ASS appears to be deformed more rapidly due to its higher stacking fault energy which gave results in rapid transformation from strain induced martensite to austenite in form of recrystallized grains, i.e. it concluded that as cold work percentage increases more rapidly recrystallization occurs. XRD results also indicate that more fraction of martensite formed as percentage of CW increases but as thermal aging reverted those all martensite to austenite. So investigation gives the conclusion which suggests that with high deformation at higher temperature and duration gives very less DOS.

Various literatures available for 300 series steel related to the effect of cold work on mechanical properties and sensitization mechanism. However, no one has investigated the effect of recrystallization through thermomechanical processing on the sensitization of nickel-free steel.