Effects of Nb Content and Thermal History on the Mechanical and Corrosion Characteristics of Stainless Steels

Due to excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical properties, austenitic stainless steel is widely used as the material for chemical plants. nuclear power plants, and food processing facilities. But, the zone affected by heat in the range of 400 to $800^{\circ}C$ during welding loses corrosion resistance and tensile strength since Cr-carbide precipitation like $Cr_{23}C_6$ forms at the grain boundary and thereby takes place the intergranular corrosion. In this study, AISI 304 stainless steel with the added Nb of 0.3 to 0.7 wt% was solutionized at $1050^{\circ}C$ and sensitized at $650^{\circ}C$. Specimen was welded by MIG. The phase and the microstructure of the specimens were examined by an optical microscope, a scanning electron microscope, and a x-ray diffractometer. The corrosion characteristics of specimens were tested by electrolytic etching and by double loop electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation method(EPR) in the mixed solution of 0.5M $H_2SO_4$ + 0.01M KSCN. The melting zone had dendritic structure constituted of austenitic phase and $\delta$-ferrite phase. Cr carbide at the matrix did not appear, as Nb content increased. At the grain boundaries of the heat affected zone, the precipitates decreased and the twins appeared. The hardness increased, as Nb content increased. The hardness was highest in the order of the heat affected zone>melted zone>matrix. According to EPR curve, as the Nb content decreased, the reactivation current density(Ir) and the activation current density(la) were highest in the order of the melted zone