Argon-Hydrogen Shielding Gas Mixtures for Activating Flux-Assisted Gas Tungsten Arc Welding

Using activating flux for gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) to improve penetration capability is a well-established technique. Argon is an inert gas and the one most widely used as a shielding gas for GTAW. For the most austenitic stainless steels, pure argon does not provide adequate weld penetration. Argon–hydrogen mixtures give a more even heat input to the workpiece, increasing the arc voltage, which tends to increase the volume of molten material in the weld pool as well as the weld depth-to-width ratio. Great interest has been shown in the interaction between activating flux and the hydrogen concentration in an argon-based shielding gas. In this study, the weld morphology, the arc profile, the retained delta ferrite content, the angular distortion, and the microstructures were examined. The application of an activating flux combining argon and hydrogen for GTAW is important in the industry. The results of this study are presented here.