Characterization of AISI 304/AISI 409 stainless steel joints using different filler materials

Four different industrial filler metals were selected for the joining of AISI 304 austenitic to AISI 409 ferritic stainless steel. These fillers were austenitic and duplex stainless steels and a nickel-based alloy. The microhardness and longitudinal tensile tests were performed for evaluation of the mechanical properties. The microstructural analysis indicated that the dissimilar welding led to the formation of different ferrite-austenite solidification patterns in weld metals; also, no evidence of carbide/nitride phases was detected. Although three welds showed proper tensile strength values; the weld 316L presented the best mechanical properties from the cost saving point of view.