Influence of Ti on non-metallic inclusion formation and acicular ferrite nucleation in high-strength low-alloy steel weld metals

The phase transition behaviors of non-metallic inclusions as a function of Ti content were investigated by monitoring changes in the microstructure and mechanical properties of high-strength low-alloy steel multipass weld metals. Weld metals with Ti contents ranging from 0.007 to 0.17 wt% were prepared using a gas metal arc welding process. The inclusion analysis was performed based on thermodynamic calculations and transmission electron microscopy, accompanied by energy-dispersive spectrometry and selected area electron diffraction. With increase in the Ti content of weld metals, the chaotic arrangement of ferrite laths in the columnar zone was transited to a well aligned arrangement and the impact toughness of the weld metals drastically deteriorated in response to the decrease in the Mn content of the inclusion. The effective inclusion phase for intragranular nucleation contained considerable amounts of Mn and a Mn depleted zone was observed around the effective nucleant.