Improvement of the mechanical characteristics and corrosion resistance of welded joints of maraging steels

We show that the specific character of a structural state of welded joints of Kh11N10M2T steel as a sequence of structural changes in the course of accelerated heating of maraging steels causes a regular inhomogeneity of their mechanical characteristics and low corrosion resistance. We develop a procedure of thermal treatment which guarantees homogeneity of welded joints in strength, plasticity, and toughness. The mechanical characteristics and corrosion resistance of these joints correspond to those of the base metal that is reached due to both removal of interdendritic liquating inhomogeneity of the weld metal and equalization of the structure and phase composition in all zones of a welded joint. Institute of Mechanics, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Kiev. Translated from Fizyko-Khimichna Mekhanika Materialiv, Vol. 35, No. 1, pp. 47–54, January–February, 1999.