Microstructure, roughness, and corrosion resistance of X5CrNi18-10 austenite stainless steel welded joint

The influence of the microstructure of X5CrNi18-10 stainless steel welded joint on its resistance to general, pitting, and intergranular corrosion was analyzed. The structure of weld metal, heat affected zone (HAZ) and base metal before and after electrochemical testing was analyzed using SEM/EDS. The influence of the roughness level of the welded joint on its resistance to the mentioned types of corrosion was also examined. Although the degree of sensitization of HAZ was significantly lower than the limit value, HAZ showed a noticeably greater tendency to general and pitting corrosion than weld metal and base metal. Polishing has been shown to improve significantly the corrosion resistance of HAZ than in other parts of a welded joint.