Effect of post-weld heat treatment on the microstructure an‎d mechanical properties of rotary friction welding of 304 stainless steel to carbon steel

7/30/2026 12:00:00 AM

In this study, the effect of post-weld heat treatment on the joint strength an‎d microstructure of dissimilar welds between stainless steel 304 an‎d carbon steels AISI 1015, AISI 1035, an‎d AISI 1045, welded by rotary friction welding, was investigated. The welding process was carried out at two friction times of 3 an‎d 5 s. The samples welded at 5 s, which exhibited the highest strength, were selec‎ted for heat treatment. The post-weld heat treatment was performed at temperatures of 300, 400, an‎d 500°C for 1 hour, an‎d the samples were air-cooled. The tensile test was conducted at a strain rate of 1 mm/min according to ASTM E8 stan‎dard. Hardness testing was also performed on the cross-section of the joint under a 100 g load. The microstructure an‎d fracture surface of the welds were examined using an optical microscope an‎d a scanning electron microscope. Additionally, elemental an‎d phase characterization of the samples was carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD) an‎d energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results of the X-ray diffraction test showed the formation of chromium carbide at higher temperatures, a reduction in residual stress, an‎d peak shifts as a result of the heat treatment. The joint strength increased with the welding time up to 5 s an‎d with the heat treatment temperature up to 400°C, after which it decreased at 500°C. The maximum joint strength was achieved in the AISI 1035 steel weld at a 5 s welding time, reaching 698.48 MPa, an‎d after heat treatment at 400°C, it increased to 728.45 MPa.The highest elongation was also observed in the HTA500 sample, which increased from 6.86% to 8.32% after heat treatment at 500°C. Microstructural analysis revealed the presence of chromium carbide an‎d recrystallized grains at the weld interface. The fracture surface of the joint became more brittle with increased welding time an‎d softer with higher heat treatment temperatures. Additionally, in the AISI 1035 steel joint, a fracture occurred near the weld zone, resulting in lower elongation. In the A3, A5, B3, B5, C3, an‎d C5 samples, the average hardness of the weld zone was 261, 273, 341, 346, an‎d 359 Vickers, respectively. After heat treatment at 500°C, the hardness values decreased to 251, 314, an‎d 314 HV in the HTA500, HTB500, an‎d HTC500 samples, respectively.

جوشكاري ناهمسان , جوشكاري اصطكاكي , جوشكاري فولاد , عمليات حرارتي پس از جوش , خواص مكانيكي

Dissimilar welding , Friction welding , Steel welding , Post–welding heat treatment , mechanical properties

Mojtaba Farbakhti

Seyed Reza Elmi Hosseini an‎d Mansour Soltanieh