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Effect of Pre- and Post Weld Heat Treatment on Microstructure Development and Mechanical Properties of 0.3%C-CrMoV (ESR) High-Strength Low-Alloy Steel

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Abstract

0.3%C-CrMoV, a medium-carbon high-strength low-alloy steel, is proposed to be used in the fabrication of rocket motor cases for satellite launch vehicles. Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) is used in the fabrication of motor cases. In the present study, GTAW with different pre- and post-weld heat treatments (PWHT) was carried out in annealed, hardened and tempered heat-treated conditions. PWHT employed was hardening at 920 °C-1 hr-oil quenching (OQ) and tempering at 505 °C-2 hr-OQ. Tensile strength and fracture toughness of the weldments were evaluated in each of these conditions. The effect of copper coated filler wire on the mechanical properties of the weldments has also been investigated. Welding in the annealed condition followed by PWHT resulted in nearly 100% weld efficiency on tensile strength and nearly 90% on fracture toughness with respect to the quench and tempered mechanical properties of the parent metal. The microstructure of welds is predominantly lath martensite with characteristic multivariant carbides in PWHT condition. Lower fracture toughness in as-welded condition is attributed to high dislocation density, presence of twins and presence of untempered martensite. Highest fracture toughness and tensile strength in PWHT conditions are attributed to heterogenous microstructure (mixture of lath martensite and bainite,10-15% volume fraction), partial recovery of lath structure, and reduction in dislocation density and presence of fine alloy carbides. The fractography of tensile tested specimens revealed a mixed-mode failure characterized by dimples, ductile tear ridges and few cleavage facets in the weld coupons subjected to PWHT.

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Acknowledgments

Authors are grateful to MCD, MTD and IFF, VSSC for experimental and characterization work. Authors express their gratitude to DD, MME for guidance and Director, VSSC for granting permission to publish this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Materials and Mechanical Entity, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Trivandrum, 695022, India

    P. Ramkumar, R. K. Gupta & V. Anil Kumar

  2. Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, NIT, Tiruchirappalli, 620015, India

    P. Ramkumar & V. Muthupandi

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Ramkumar, P., Gupta, R.K., Anil Kumar, V. et al. Effect of Pre- and Post Weld Heat Treatment on Microstructure Development and Mechanical Properties of 0.3%C-CrMoV (ESR) High-Strength Low-Alloy Steel. J. of Materi Eng and Perform 30, 7835–7850 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-021-05929-4

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