8.

6 Creep-resistant steels
Welding consumables
The following table gives examples of various Bhler welding consumables for welding creep
resistant steels:
Materials

Designations

16Mo3

BHLER FOX DMO Kb, Phoenix SH Schwarz 3 Mk, BHLER DMO-IG,

Union 1 Mo, BHLER EMS 2 Mo, Union S 2 Mo, BHLER DMO Ti-FD

13CrMo4-5

BHLER FOX DCMS Kb, Phoenix Chromo1, BHLER DCMS-IG, Union 1

CrMo, BHLER EMS 2 CrMo, Union S 2 CrMo, BHLER DCMS Ti-FD

10CrMo9-10

BHLER FOX CM 2 Kb, Phoenix SH Chromo 2 KS, BHLER CM 2-IG,

BHLER CM 2-UP, Union S1 CrMo 2

X10CrMoVNb9-1

BHLER FOX C 9-MV, Thermanit CrMo 9V, BHLER C 9 MV-IG, Thermanit MTS 3, BHLER C 9 MV-UP

P92, NF 616

BHLER FOX P 92, Thermanit MTS 616,

X20CrMoWV12-1

BHLER FOX 20 MWV

High pressure hydrogen resistant steels

Steels with little tendency to decarburisation by hydrogen at high pressures and temperatures, and to
the embrittlement and grain boundary cracking that are associated with it, are classified as high pressure hydrogen resistant. These properties are achieved by alloying with elements that form highly stable
carbides that are difficult to decompose at the operating temperature. Chromium is one such element.
High pressure hydrogen resistant steels include, for example, 25CrMo4, 20CrMo9, 17CrMoV10, X20CrMoV12-1, X8CrNiMoVNb16-13 according to the steel-iron materials data sheet 590.
Hydrogen penetrates the steel at high pressure, and reacts with the carbon in the iron carbide or pearlite, forming methane. Because the methane molecules, due to their size, do not defuse very easily, high
pressures develop inside the steel, and these can result in breakup of the microstructure and finally to
intercrystalline cracks.
Welding high pressure hydrogen resistant steels
If the necessary precautionary measures are taken, high pressure hydrogen resistant steels are suitable
for welding. Increasing the carbon content, however, impairs the suitability for welding. Prior to welding,
these steels should be preheated to between 200 and 400C, depending on the steel type, and this
temperature must be maintained when welding.
After welding, cooling must be slow and even. The subsequent heat treatment must be carried out
according to specifications. The welding consumables must also yield a weld metal that is high pressure
hydrogen resistant. The X20CrMoV12-1 and X8CrNiMoVNb16-13 steels require a very special welding
technique.

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8.7 Stainless steels

The stainless steels group contains a large number of very different kinds of alloy, whose common feature is a chromium content of at least 12%. This ensures that, under oxidising conditions, an extremely
thin, stable, layer of oxide forms on the surface of the steel, and the steel changes from an active (soluble) into a passive (insoluble) condition. The resistance to oxidising media is increased in the passive
condition. In the presence of a reducing environment, however, i.e. when there is little available oxygen,
the otherwise passive steel changes into the active condition. The chromium content of at least 12% that
is required for a degree of chemical resistance of the steel, is very often referred to as the parting limit.
The alloying element chromium, and, following on from that, nickel, are the basic elements for stainless
steels. The effect that they have on the microstructure within the steel is, however, very different.
Whereas the gamma region is protected as the chromium content rises and, with 12% or more, only
ferrite (body-centred cubic solid solution) is the predominant form between the solidification and room
temperature, rising nickel content expands the gamma region. Above a certain nickel content, the
microstructure only comprises austenite (face centred cubic solid solution) between the solidification
temperature and room temperature.
The effect on the formation of the microstructure of all the other alloying elements that are added to
steel in order to improve particular properties can be classified as either chromium-like or nickel-like.

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This means that it is possible to distinguish between ferrite-forming and austenite-forming elements,
as follows. Ferrite-forming elements: chromium, silicon, aluminium, molybdenum, niobium, titanium,
tungsten and vanadium.
Austenite-forming elements: nickel, manganese, carbon, cobalt, copper and nitrogen. If sufficient quantities of nickel are added to a ferritic iron-chromium alloy, it converts to the austenitic state.
The most important groups of stainless steels are listed in the following table. They are divided according to the microstructure.
Microstructure

Material types

Pearlitic-martensitic

X30Cr13

Semi-ferritic-ferritic

X8Cr17

Soft martensitic

X5CrNi13-4

Ferritic-austenitic

X2CrNiMoN22-5

Austenitic
Austenite with ferrite
Austenite without ferrite

X5CrNi18-9
X8CrNiNb16-13

These steel groups differ both from the metallurgical and the physical point of view, and suitable
measures must be taken when welding to allow for their special features.

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8.8 Martensitic Cr-Ni(-Mo) steels

A few characteristic martensitic Cr steels and their suitability for welding:
Material designation

%C

%Cr

%Mo

Welding suitability

X12Cr13

0,15

13,0

limited

X20Cr13

0,20

13,0

very limited

X39CrMo17-1

0,42

16,5

1,2

none

Basically this group of steels must be considered as having only limited suitability for welding. As the
carbon content rises, the risk of cold cracking increases, and joint welding should be avoided as far as
possible.
The most important alloying element is chromium which, when the content is about 12%, lends its passivity, and therefore its corrosion resistance in oxidising media, to the steels. As a ferrite-forming element,
chromium restricts the austenite region of the iron; with about 13% chromium it is entirely choked off.
Steels with chromium contents of greater than 13% and with very low carbon contents (< 0.1%) do not
undergo any conversion as they cool from the solidification temperature to room temperature. These
are the ferritic Cr steels.
The group of hardenable steels begins at chromium contents above 12% and carbon contents of about
0.1 to 1.2%. These are the martensitic chromium steels. As a result of the higher-carbon content, the
austenite region is extended, and this creates the possibility of hardening.
Welding martensitic chromium steels
The austenitic component in the heat affected zone of the base material is always converted to martensite with air cooling, since the formation of pearlite and intermediate phases is heavily delayed by the
high chromium content.
Due to the high chromium content of the steel, the conversion to pearlite, in which the delta-ferrite and
the carbide are precipitated from the gamma solid solutions, only begins after a very long time. As a
result, the weld metal, and the heat affected zone (HAZ), effectively always convert to the martensitic
phase, unless it is heated above the martensite conversion temperature.
If we consider the increasing hardness of this kind of steel in relation to the carbon content, their unfavourable or inadequate suitability for welding can easily be understood.
Increase in hardness for various carbon contents:
Carbon content

Hardness

0.10% C
0.15% C
0.20% C
0.25% C
0.40% C
0.70% C
1.00% C

ca. 40 HRC
ca. 46 HRC
ca. 50 HRC
ca. 53 HRC
ca. 56 HRC
ca. 58 HRC
ca. 60 HRC

At the same time we can also understand that, in practice, martensitic Cr steels with less than
0.15% carbon are almost the only ones used for welded constructions.
The role played by hydrogen during welding represents a further disadvantageous factor.
Particularly when brittle martensite is present, higher hydrogen contents can lead to a strong tendency
to hydrogen-induced cold cracking in the welded joint.

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