The Effect of Filler Metal on Properties of AISI 4130 to AISI 316L Dissimilar Joint

In this research, dissimilar welding between 4130 low alloy steel and austenitic stainless steel 316L has been investigated using Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW). Two types of filler metals, including ERNiCr-3 and ER309L, were used for this purpose. Moreover, the joint microstructures including the weld metals, heat affected zones and interfaces were characterized by optical and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The mechanical behavior of the joint was tested by impact and tension tests. Observations by SEM showed that in impact test, the fracture is soft. In the tensile test, the welded sample by ER309L filler metal was fractured from 316L base metal, but welded specimen with ERNiCr-3 was fractured from welded zone. Also, the results showed a dendritic structure in the nickel-based weld metal. No crack was found in the cellular-dendritic microstructure of ER309L weld metal due to the existance of delta ferrite between them.