Oxygen absorption and oxide inclusion of Fe-Cr weld metal

Pure iron plates were welded using Fe-Cr alloy electrode wires in a controlled arc atmosphere. The effect of chromium on the oxygen content and non-metallic inclusion in the weld metals were investigated under various welding conditions in Ar-O2 welding atmosphere. The oxygen content of Fe-Cr weld metal increases with increasing the partial pressure of oxygen and decreases with increasing chromium content in the weld metal. The non-metallic inclusions are mainly chromium oxide. The composition of the non-metallic inclusion in the Fe-Cr weld metal takes various form of FeCr2O4, Cr3O4, CrO2 and CrO depending on decreasing oxygen content and increasing chromium content of the weld metal. The behavior of the oxygen absorption by Fe-Cr weld metal is discussed using thermodynamic data.