Directed Energy Deposition Additive Manufacturing and Welding of Duplex Stainless Steel using Laser Beam

Sammanfattning: Duplex stainless steels (DSSs), with a ferritic-austenitic microstructure, are used in a wide range of applications thanks to their high corrosion resistance and good mechanical properties. However, efficient and successful production and joining of DSS require precise control of processes and an in-depth understanding of the relations between composition, processing thermal cycles, resulting microstructures and properties. In this study welding and direct energy deposition of DSS using a laser beam, resulting weld and component microstructures, and properties are explored.In the first part a lean FDX 27 DSS, showing the transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) effect, was autogenously laser welded and laser reheated using pure argon or pure nitrogen as shielding gas. The weld metal austenite fraction was 22% for argon-shielding and 39% for nitrogen-shielding in the as-welded conditions. Less nitrides were found with nitrogen-shielding compared to argon-shielding. Laser reheating did not significantly affect nitride content or austenite fraction for argon-shielding. However, laser reheating of the nitrogen shielded weld removed nitrides and increased the austenite fraction to 57% illustrating the effectiveness of this approach.Phase fraction analysis is important for DSS since the balance between ferrite and austenite affects the properties. For TRIP steels the risk of austenite-to-martensite transformation during sample preparation also has to be considered. Ferrite, austenite and martensite were identified and quantified using light optical microscopy (LOM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis. It was found that mechanical polishing produced up to 26% strain-induced martensite, while no martensite was observed after electrolytic polishing.In the second part a systematic four-stage methodology was applied to develop procedures for additive manufacturing of standard 22% Cr DSS components employing direct energy deposition using a laser beam and wire feedstock (DED-LB/w) combined with the hot wire technology. In the four stages, single-bead passes, a single-bead wall, a block, and finally a cylinder with an inner diameter of 160 mm, thickness of 30 mm, and height of 140 mm were produced. Implementing this methodology with a stepwise increase in the deposited volume and geometrical complexity can successfully be used when developing additive manufacturing procedures for significantly sized metallic components. The as-deposited microstructure was inhomogeneous and repetitive including highly ferritic regions with nitrides and regions with high fractions of austenite. Heat treatment for 1 hour at 1100°C homogenized the microstructure, dissolved the nitrides, and almost balanced the ferrite and austenite phase fractions. Strength, ductility, and toughness were at a high level for the cylinder, comparable to those of wrought type 2205 steel, both as-deposited and after heat treatment. The pitting corrosion resistance revealed that microstructural differences, including ferrite-to-austenite ratio, alloying element distribution in ferrite and austenite , and the presence of nitrides, affected the corrosion resistance of DED-LB/w DSS. It was also shown that alongside the decomposition of ferrite into Fe-rich (α) and Cr-rich (αʹ) phases, clustering of Ni, Mn, and Si atoms are contributing to the 475°C -embrittlement of DSS manufactured by DED-LB/w.This study has illustrated that a laser beam can successfully be used as heat source in processing of DSS both for welding and additive manufacturing. However, challenges like nitrogen loss, low austenite fractions and nitride formation have to be handled by precise process control and/or heat treatment.