Processing nickel free high nitrogen austenitic stainless steels through conventional electroslag remelting process

Nickel free high nitrogen austenitic stainless steels, made through air-induction melting were processed using conventional electroslag remelting (ESR) process without application of nitrogen gas pressure over the melt, it was found possible to retain the high nitrogen contents of the original steel. The loss in nitrogen content during ESR was found to increase with increasing melt rate. Electroslag remelting was carried out on eleven steels with a base composition at around 18wt%Cr-18wt%Mn-0.1 to 0.6wt%C-0.53 to 0.9wt%N. While the air-induction melted steel had extensive porosity, the ESR ingots were all sound and free from porosity. Thus, steels made in any other process route can be successfully remelted using conventional ESR. The cast structure analysis in a typical medium carbon high nitrogen steel showed that Cr and Mn has a tendency for microsegregation. The presence of microsegregation and residual carbides affect the ductility of the cast steel.