Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Plasma Arc Brazed AISI 304L Stainless Steel and Galvanized Steel Plates

Plasma arc brazing is used to join the AISI 304L stainless steel and galvanized steel plate butt joints with the CuSi3Mn1 filler wire. The effect of parameters on weld surface appearance, interfacial microstructure, and composition distribution in the joint was studied. The microhardness and mechanical tests were conducted to determine the mechanical properties of the welded specimens. The results indicated that good appearance, bead shape, and sufficient metallurgical bonding could be obtained when the brazing process was performed with a wire feeding speed of 0.8 m/min, plasma gas flow rate of 3.0 l/min, welding current of 100 A, and welding speed of 27 cm/min. During plasma arc brazing process, the top corner of the stainless steel and galvanized steel plate were heated and melted, and the melted quantity of stainless steel was much more than that of the galvanized steel due to the thermal conductivity coefficient difference between the dissimilar materials. The microhardness test results shows that the microhardness value gradually increased from the side of the galvanized steel to the stainless steel in the joint, and it is good for improving the mechanical properties of joint. The tensile strength was a little higher than that of the brazing filler, and the fracture position of weld joint was at the base metal of galvanized steel plate.