Corrosion Behaviour of Electron Beam Welded AISI 304 and AISI 4140

In the present work hot corrosion studies were carried out on electron beam welded AISI 304 and AISI 4140 dissimilar weldment in molten salt (K2SO4-60% NaCl) environment at 800 °C for 50 cycles. The weight gain follows parabolic law in all the cases. It is observed that the scale formation was maximum on 4140 side as compared on 304 side. Moreover higher content of Fe2O3 and Cr2O3 on scale over weld zone may be due to enrichment of this zone with Fe and Cr. This could be attributed to diffusion of chromium towards AISI 4140 from the AISI 304 and diffusion of iron from AISI 4140 side towards AISI 304. Furthermore weld interface suffered accelerated corrosion behavior in the chloride and sulfate mixed molten salt environment in the form of intense spalling and sputtering of its scale. The cracking of oxide scale on the weldment might be attributed to different composition of base metals, weld metal and oxide formed.