Microstructural origin of the skeletal ferrite morphology of austenitic stainless steel welds

Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) was conducted on welds exhibiting a variety of skeletal, or vermicular ferrite morphologies in addition to one lathy ferrite morphology. These ferrite morphologies result from primary ferrite solidification followed by a solid state transformation upon cooling. During cooling, a large fraction of the ferrite transforms to austenite leaving a variety of ferrite morphologies. Comparison of composition profiles and alloy partitioning showed both the skeletal and lathy ferrite structures result from a diffusion controlled solid state transformation. However, the overall measured composition profiles of the weld structure are a result of partitioning during both solidification and the subsequent solid state transformation.