A dissimilar welded joint of Inconel 718 and 304L austenitic stainless steel was prepared using a combined procedure with the gas tungsten arc welding and shielded metal arc welding processes by employing the Ni-based fillers: ERNiCr-3 and ENiCrFe-3. The welded joints were investigated for metallographic testing and mechanical properties, and a relationship was established between the microstructure and the resultant mechanical properties. Microstructural observation revealed the formation of the unmixed zone on the 304L SS side. The weld metal showed that the fully austenitic microstructure consisted of the Nb- and Ti-rich carbide phases along the inter-dendritic spaces. The tensile test results at room temperature showed the failure from the weld metal which might be due to alloying element segregation along the inter-dendritic spaces. However, a tensile test at 600 °C showed the failure from the 304L SS base metal with a tensile strength and % elongation value of 377 MPa and 24%, respectively. The hardness plot showed the average hardness value of the weld metal of 236 ± 5 HV, which was higher than the 304L SS BM (204 ± 4 HV) but lower than the IN718 BM (243 ± 5 HV). The impact toughness of the weld metal was 109 J, which was significantly lower than the base metals. The poor impact strength of the weld metal might be due to the evolution of the NbC phase along inter-dendritic spaces.

The welding of nitrogen (0.29 wt%)-alloyed austenitic steel (grade 23-8-N) was performed with gas metal arc welding process. Solution treatment was performed at 950 °C and 1150 °C on base metal prior to weld. Base metal after second treatment has maximum ultimate tensile strength of 942 MPa and impact toughness 66 J. The microstructures of different zones of the weld joint were characterized using an optical microscope and field scanning electron microscope (FESEM). The microhardness, tensile and impact toughness tests of the weldments were conducted along with weld ferrite evaluation. ER2209 duplex filler metal used for welding has lower C and N content which changed the weld solidification mode. Weld has microstructure containing austenite + ferrite. Being a strong austenite former, nitrogen caused minimum ferrite near weld–HAZ interface while maximum ferrite content was observed at weld centre. Weld metal has minimum while base metal has maximum microhardness. UTS (892 MPa) and impact strength (96 J) of weld made on 1150 °C solution-treated base metal were maximum as compared to other weld joints.