Duplex Stainless Steel Composition for Stronger Non-Filler Welds

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing duplex stainless steel materials face a decrease in weld metal strength during non-filler welding, which is not adequately addressed by existing technologies, leading to reduced pressure resistance in applications like seawater heat exchangers.

Innovation Solution

A duplex stainless steel material with specific chemical compositions and inclusion of elements like Ca, Ti, and Co, which form CaS and Ti nitrides to refine grain size and enhance work hardening, ensuring the weld metal strength equals or exceeds that of the base material portion without using nitrogen in the shielding gas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If non-filler welding is performed without adding nitrogen to the shielding gas, then production costs decrease and construction time is reduced, but weld metal strength decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction costVSAvoidweld metal strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the base material by controlling the content of Al, B, Ca, Ti, Co, and other elements to achieve sufficient weld metal strength without adding nitrogen to the shielding gas. This resolves the contradiction by modifying material parameters rather than changing welding process parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent eliminates the need for expensive nitrogen-added shielding gas by using a cost-effective base material composition that inherently provides sufficient strength. This replaces the expensive consumable (nitrogen-enriched gas) with a cheaper, built-in material solution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Device complexity

If non-filler welding is performed without using a welding consumable, then device complexity is reduced, but weld metal strength decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewelding process complexityVSAvoidweld metal strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The base material itself provides the necessary strength through its specially controlled composition, eliminating the need for external welding consumables. The material serves its own strengthening function through its inherent alloying elements (Al, B, Ca, Ti, Co, etc.), making the system self-sufficient.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Strength

If nitrogen is added to the Ar shielding gas to increase weld metal strength, then weld metal strength increases, but gas purification cost increases and electrode life shortens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweld metal strengthVSAvoidgas purification cost
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the expensive nitrogen-enriched shielding gas with a standard shielding gas by incorporating strengthening elements directly into the base material composition. This eliminates the need for costly gas purification and extends electrode life while maintaining weld metal strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The proposed chemical composition and inclusion mechanisms synergistically enhance weld metal strength, maintaining or exceeding base material strength during non-filler welding, thus improving pressure resistance and reducing production costs and construction time.

Implementation Method 1

CaS and Ti nitrides that refine grain size are formed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGrain refinement:

Implementation Method 2

enhance work hardening

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWork hardening:

Implementation Method 3

Ti nitrides that refine grain size are formed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGrain refinement:

Data Source

PatentEP4678777A1Two-phase stainless steel material and two-phase stainless steel welded joint
Publication Date: 2026.01.14 NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
  • EP4678777A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4678777A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4678777A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a duplex stainless steel material in which the strength of the weld metal produced by non-filler welding using a shielding gas not containing nitrogen is greater than or equal to that of the base material portion. The duplex stainless steel material of this disclosure contains, in mass%: C: 0.001 to 0.030%, Si: 1.00% or less, Mn: 0.05 to 5.00%, P: 0.035% or less, S: 0.0008% or less, Cr: 21.00 to 28.00%, Ni: 4.00 to 9.50%, Mo: 0.80 to 5.50%, Cu: 0.01 to 3.50%, Al: 0.001 to 0.050%, N: 0.400% or less, B: 0.0001 to 0.0050%, Mg: 0.0050% or less, Ca: 0.0005 to 0.0100%, Ti: 0.002 to 0.100%, and Co: 0.05 to 2.00%, and formula (1) and formula (2) below are satisfied. Ca/S≥2.00 1000×Ti+2×N×Co0.2×0.5×Ca/S1.6≥50.00