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Heat tint colours on stainless steel and welded joints

a a
Jerzy abanowski & Maria Gowacka
a
Gdask University of Technology , Gdask, Poland
Published online: 31 May 2011.

To cite this article: Jerzy abanowski & Maria Gowacka (2011) Heat tint colours on stainless steel and welded joints,
Welding International, 25:7, 509-512, DOI: 10.1080/09507116.2010.540837

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09507116.2010.540837

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 Welding International
Vol. 25, No. 7, July 2011, 509512
Selected from Przeglad Spawalnictwa 2008 (6) 3 6

Heat tint colours on stainless steel and welded joints

Jerzy abanowski and Maria Gowacka
Gdansk University of Technology, Gdansk, Poland

The surface layer condition of stainless steels and welded joints strongly influences their corrosion resistance, and this
problem seems to be underestimated. This current study explains the phenomenon of heat tint formation on welds, methods
for its removal, inspection procedures after heat tint removal, and post-weld finishing.

Introduction characteristic heat tint colour depends on the oxide layers

Stainless steel components for operation in ambient
temperatures are characterized by corrosive resistance
thanks to a passive oxide layer rich in chromium, which is
formed immediately and automatically on just-uncovered,
Downloaded by [University of Waterloo] at 05:15 16 December 2014
thickness being the result of light interference effects.
Sometimes, this colouring is comparable to temper colours
occurring during thermal treatment of the steel (Figure 1).3
Heat tint colours from austenite steel 1.4301 (AISI

clean surfaces in a natural way, and in environments
containing enough oxygen, such as air or aerated water.
The passive layers thickness increases over time to
approx. 10 nm, and remains transparent.
The passive state is also maintained in cases of
mechanical damage to the passive layer, as it has self-
recovering abilities1 7.
However, under certain conditions the passive state
may be damaged by transferring it to an active state, the
effect of which is developed due to corrosion. These cases
may be caused by radical changes to the steels operating
conditions or processes such as welding. Welding heat
causes thickening of the oxides rich chromium surface
layer in the joint area by drawing the oxide layer away from
adjoining areas and thus depleting their chromium levels,
consequently lowering the steels corrosion resistance1,2.
Depending on the welding conditions in the joint area,
characteristic discolourations occur, which should be
removed after welding to restore specific corrosion
resistance to the given steel. These are removed in conditions
when steel types with a limited corrosion resistance are
applied in specific operating environments1,7. In the case of
steels designated for use in higher temperatures, discolour-
ation removal is unnecessary4,7. Depending on the type of
operating environment of the welded product, such as a mild
industrial atmosphere, discolouration removal may be
pointless due to the cost of the procedure. However, in
devices for pharmaceutical, chemical and food processing,
nuclear power engineering, electronics, and many more
industries, it is very necessary, and similarly in the
construction industry in the case of decorative elements3,7.
The importance of the problem is proved by the
detailed, binding procedures for specific applications, such
as stainless steel devices used in drinking water
transmission4,8.
Formation of discolouration
Regardless of the structural class of the stainless steel,
welding heat always causes thickening of oxide layers on
the welded joints surface and formation of the
ISSN 0950-7116 print/ISSN 1754-2138 online
q 2011 Taylor & Francis
DOI: 10.1080/09507116.2010.540837
http://www.informaworld.com
304) heated in the air over 1 h range from light straw to
dark blue appropriately, depending on the heating
temperatures, and are presented in Table 1.4
During the creation of oxide colour layers, chromium
and possibly other elements diffuse to the surface as they
oxidize more easily there compared to the iron content of
the steel. As a result of this effect, a metal area is formed
under the oxidized layer with a lower chromium content
compared to the rest of the steels volume; subsequently, a
surface layer characterized by lower corrosion resistance
is created. The speed of the steels oxidation and the
degree of its chemical compositions depletion in the
layers adhering to the oxide layers are independent of
the steels overall composition, as they are controlled by
the oxide layers diffusion1. Discoloured surfaces contain
heterogeneous oxides originally composed of chromium
and iron, over a depleted chromium native metal layer.
Figure 1. Typical heat tint colours on welded joints in
dependence on oxide layer thickness.
Table 1. Heat tint colours on stainless steel type AISI 304 on air
depending on steel heating temperature within 1 h4.
Heat tint colours making
Steel heat tint colours temperatures in the air (8C)
Light straw 290
Yellow straw 340
Dark yellow 370
Brown 390
Red and brown 420
Dark red 450
Blue 540
Dark blue/Black 600
 510 J. abanowski and M. Gowacka
This layers properties depend on1,4
. time and temperature of heat exposure,
. composition of the atmosphere being in contact with
the hot metal surface,
. chemical composition of the basic alloy,
. surface physical conditions (impurities, roughness)
before discolouration,
. binding of discoloured oxides to the native metal.
The created oxide layer offers ineffective protection
for an alloy against corrosion development due to its
heterogeneous chemical composition, various defects, and
stresses. The environment may initiate local corrosion in
the chromium-depleted layer under the discolouration.
The danger of local corrosion occurring in the area of
discolouration increases with the metals surface tempera-
ture during welding. For example, the most susceptible to
local corrosion in chloride solutions are the areas of dark
Downloaded by [University of Waterloo] at 05:15 16 December 2014
blue colour. Table 2 presents the effect of welding
conditions on the corrosive resistance of discoloured areas
on UNS S31726 steel joints, in the form of maximum pits
depth and number depending on welding linear energy.
Characteristic oxide colours created during steel
welding in neutral gas shielding differ from those created
during air welding, but the susceptibility of discoloured
areas to local corrosion increases in a similar way.
Restoration of high corrosion resistance appropriate to the
given steel type is possible only by the removal of the
discolouration and restoration of the passive layer1,4,7.
Removal of discolouration after welding
Removal of discolouration before putting welded products
into use is necessary if the resistance of a specific material
type in a specific environment is close to resistance limits,
especially if the destination environment has an acidic
reaction1,7. Without post-production cleaning, the steel
may become damaged at much lower temperatures or in
less aggressive environments than should result from its
corrosion characteristics.
Restoration of corrosion resistance to discoloured
areas usually occurs in three stages. First of all, both
oxides and the partially chromium-depleted metal layer
are removed using mechanical methods, e.g. grinding,
then the ground-off area is cleaned with acid solutions or
by means of acidic pastes or gels in order to remove
impurities and restore the passive layer. Finally, the area is
Table 2. Influence of welding parameters on critical pitting temperature of welded joint area tested in ferric chloride environment
(ASTM G48).
Welding conditions
Welding linear Welding current
energy (kJ/mm) (A)
0.3 50
0.59 100
0.89 150
1.19 200
1.48 250
Note: Plate 6.4 mm, UNS S31726 steel (PN-EN 10088 X2CrNiMo18-15-4).
thoroughly rinsed with low chloride content water
preferably demineralized water1,2,9.
During this procedure it is necessary to be especially
aware of the use of substances harmful to human health, as
well as the possibility of causing corrosive pitting in the
cleaned surface area, which may appear after extended
contact with the used preparations. Therefore, careful final
inspection of the cleaned area upon completion of the
entire process is recommended.
Discolouration removal as part of cleaning and
stainless steel passivation processes may be divided into
two groups: mechanical and chemical/electrochemical.
Sometimes, a combination of various surface treatment
methods is necessary. Cleaning, passivation, and efficacy
control procedures are all included in the ASTM A380-88
standards, Practice for Cleaning, Descaling and Passivat-
ing of Stainless Steel Parts, Equipment and Systems,
ASTM A967 Specification for Chemical Passivation
Treatments for Stainless Steel Parts, and the additional
passivation conditions in PN-EN 2516: 2000 Stainless
steel passivation and alloys based on nickel decontamina-
tion 7,10.
Mechanical methods are applied to loosen oxide
layers from the surface and uncover a clean metal surface,
from which a thin metal chromium-depleted layer is
removed using chemical methods. Mechanical methods
involve grinding, abrading, brushing, and/or intensive
polishing1 7. When applying jet abrasive machining,
special care should be taken so as not to cause
contamination of the further surface area with the removed
detritus. Stainless steel grinding, abrading, or polishing
techniques are fundamentally similar to procedures used
for ordinary steels, with the difference that continuous
surface clearing, degreasing, and cleaning are applied and
that prior to grinding, any scratches, defects, chips from the
weld metal, slag, excess dampness, arc ignition traces, and
other welded surface defects should be removed from the
surface (Figure 2). It is very important to avoid abrasive
materials, which could introduce impurities via iron traces.
For this reason, both abrasive discs and specially designed
tools and those used only for stainless steel must be used so
as not to plant iron particles on the surface being cleaned,
otherwise they may lead to pitting corrosion1 5,7,9.
Jet abrasive machining with the use of pure silica, glass
balls, stainless steel balls, refined nut shells is an effective
method of quickly removing closely adhered layers, and
Corrosive tests
Maximal pits Number of pits on
Heat tint colour depth (mm) tinted surface
None 0.1 2
Straw colour 0.7 10
Pink 0.8 50
Blue 0.7 . 70
White 0.9 . 70
 Welding International 511

7
0
3 6
Embeded iron particles 2

Spatter
Discolouration 10
Arc ignition 5
Scratch
traces
1
Paint 1
4 20

Undercut 3

Grounding scratch
30
Figure 2. Disturbances to and impurities in welded surfaces 2
which can occur during the manufacturing of the product and that
should be removed before commissioning of the element made of
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corrosion resistant steel7. 1

is usually used as a preliminary procedure before acid 40

etching7.
One recently introduced mechanical cleaning method
involves application of a dry ice particles flux, which is
very effective and thoroughly removes all impurities from
the surface as a result of the thermal shock caused by
sudden carbon dioxide decompression on the metal surface
being cleaned11.
After cleaning using mechanical methods, steel always
Honed Ground Electropolished
Figure 3. Comparison of microstructures at honed, grinded, and
electro-polished surface layers; 1, austenite; 2, austenite and cold
formed ferrite; 3, cold formed ferrite; 4, cold formed ferrite and
cold formed austenite; 5, formed austenite; 6, heavily formed
grain with oxidized inclusions; 7, various oxides.
Critical temperature of pits initiation C

75
undergoes chemical cleaning due to the necessity of Native material HAZ Weld
70
removing cleaning substance detritus from the surface and
filling microstructural disturbances in the steel surface 65
layer, microcracks created that can reach depths of up to
30 mm (Figure 3).12 The presence of such defects reduces 60

the corrosion resistance of steel surfaces cleaned, which is 55

then chemically treated (Figure 4).7
Mechanical surface treatment methods conducted
without subsequent chemical cleaning lowers the critical
temperature at which pitting corrosion occurs in the native
material, the HAZ and in the weld, as compared to other
types of surface treatment7.
The aim of chemical cleaning is to remove the thin
metal layer, which occurs under a depleted-chromium
oxide layer. The process involves dipping a product in acid
solution, usually a mixture of nitric acid and hydrofluoric
acid. A typical solution contains 10 20% HNO3 and
1 2% HF, and the process temperature should not exceed
508C to avoid etching or if areas of excreted carbides are
present. Upon completion of cleaning, the surface should
be thoroughly rinsed with low chloride or demineralized
water4,5,7,9.
Chemical cleaning is performed upon previous
removal of all surface impurities from the welded
elements (Figure 2). For thin layers, immersion time of
5 min is sufficient, for thicker layers, two or three
applications may be required.
If the welded component is not immersed in solution,
either due to its dimensions or if cleaning needs to be
limited to the weld area, then a cleaning agent may be
used, in the form of a paste or gel applied with a nylon
50
Original Etched Ground Ground Etched with Shot Shot
surface (HNO3-HF) (grain 60) and ordinary peened peened with
etched pastes with glass balls
glass balls and etched
Figure 4. Impact of various kinds of surface machining
methods on critical temperature of pitting corrosion initiation
determined in ferrous chloride solution according to ASTM G48
in the native material, the HAZ and the weld, X1NiCrMoCu25-
20-7 steel7.
brush. Paste is usually granite-, diatomaceous earth-based
or based on other, completely acid-neutral substances.
Ready-made pastes and gels are available with special
instructions for use, which should be strictly followed.
Pastes containing ferric chloride should be avoided, as
these leave marks on the cleaned surface and make it
susceptible to pitting corrosion9.
Electromechanical cleaning and electropolishing are
an alternative to chemical cleaning and are widely used in
the industry. As opposed to chemical cleaning, electro-
mechanical cleaning does not increase roughness but
makes the surface smoother. Usually, copper is used
as a cathode, the cleaned stainless steel is an anode,
and phosphoric acid solution is used for the electrolyte.
This method is commonly used to remove discolourations
 512 J. abanowski and M. Gowacka
due to the fact that the process may be precisely controlled.
When comparing all types of surface treatment, electro-
polishing provides the higher corrosion resistance;
however, this is a quite complicated and considerably
expensive method.
Passivation treatment
Unlike chemical cleaning, the metal surface layer is not
removed in the passivation process. Rather, passivation
involves creation of a chromium rich oxide layer under
natural conditions on the steels surface, in an environment
with a sufficient amount of oxygen. If during the steels
processing a fresh metallic surface is uncovered and
oxygen access to it is limited, then there is a need to
support the passivation process with oxidizing acids to
avoid the risk of corrosion in the as-yet not fully passivated
surface. Nitrous acid is commonly used for this purpose, or
Downloaded by [University of Waterloo] at 05:15 16 December 2014
sometimes citric acid, which has significantly less
oxidizing properties2,4,5,7,9. Before initiation of passiva-
tion treatment, the steel surface must be completely clean,
free of organic impurities, lubricants, cooling and
lubricating liquids, fingerprints, etc. Therefore, the first
step is degreasing with chloric-free organic solvents, the
efficacy of which must then be checked with a water test.
Proper passivation involves immersing the steel element in
a nitric acid solution with a temperature of 50 608C and
concentration of 20 40% (depending on the steel type),
followed by immediate and thorough surface rinsing with
water of pH 6 8. Note that sometimes neutralization may
be performed first. One of the conditions for correct
passivation is to prevent the steel surface from drying
during the next step7.
The technical conditions for passivation treatment
must be prepared and controlled according to the
provisions included in standards2,7,9, by OHS provisions
and by ecological requirements. The treatment conditions
and surface finishing method are usually agreed upon in
detail based on tests, and not via complicated measure-
ment methods such as reflection of light coefficients or
surface roughness tests. For various steel types, process
classes are assigned which specify single or double-stage
passivation. In this range, it is recommended to use the
experience of specialist companies2.
Passivated steel surfaces may be additionally
improved for decorative purposes or for meeting
additional technical requirements present in, for example,
the pharmaceutical, food, automation and shipbuilding
industries, by applying surface treatments of organic and
inorganic preparations12.
Organic preparations applied by immersion or
spraying over the passivated surface cause formation of
a layer with much higher chromium content than iron, with
thicknesses from several mm, as compared to a passive
layer without any additional treatment. This considerably
increases steel corrosion resistance.
Inorganic preparations based on silicon dioxide,
applied by the sol-gel method, are used both for decorative
and technical purposes, which protect the steel from
impurities, including fingerprints and graffiti, are resistant
to the UV radiation ageing effect, are resistant to
temperatures of up to 5008C, and are fire-resistant.
References
1. Metals Handbook. Welding. ASM International, Materials
Park, Ohio OH: 440730002.
2. www.euro-inox.org.
3. Baxter C. Welding and post fabrication cleaning for
construction and architectural applications. Sheffield:
Avesta Polarit Ltd.
4. Post Weld Cleaning and Finishing of Stainless Steels.
Available from: http://www.bssa.org.uk.
5. Surface Finishes of Stainless Steel, SSAS, Sheet no. 5.01,
2001. Available from: http://www.bssa.org.uk.
6. Tasak E. Spawalnosc stali. Wyd. FOTOBIT, Krakow; 2002.
7. Tuthill AH, Avery RE. Specifying stainless steel surface
treatments. Adv Mater Process. 1992;142(6).
8. Cunat P-J. Selection and use of stainless steels in water
systems, Euro Inox, Brussels, workshop. Stainless Steel in
Drinking Water Applications, Brussels, 19th November;
2003.
9. Cleaning and Descaling Stainless Steels, a designers
handbook series No 9001NiDi.
10. PN-EN 2516: 2000 Pasywacja stali odpornych na korozje
oraz dekontaminacja stopow na bazie niklu.
11. Buijs NW. Dry ice blasting of stainless steel. Stainless Steel
World. April 2006.
12. Piesslinger-Schweiger S. New methods of surface improve-
ment on Stainless Steel. Available from: www.euro-inox.