Evaluation of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Explosive-Welded HSLA/304L Steel Bimetallic Plates

High strength low alloy (HSLA) steel 10CrNi3MoV and stainless steel 304L (SS304L) were used to manufacture bimetallic plates by explosive welding. The quality and overall performance of the bimetallic plates were evaluated in terms of microstructure and mechanical properties. Its microstructure, elemental distribution, and phase analysis of the bonding interface were investigated by means of OM, SEM, EDS, and XRD. The mechanical properties of the bimetallic plates were studied by experimental measurements, including tensile tests, shear tests, Charpy impact tests, hardness tests, and then evaluated based on the standards. Experimental evaluation showed out that HSLA 10CrNi3MoV steel and SS304L could be cladded with a good quality of bonding properties by explosive welding. The base material 10CrNi3MoV steel still maintained its inherent excellent mechanical performance, even after undergoing explosive welding process. The functional flyer layer SS304L maintained its corrosion resistance even after undergoing a process of post-weld heat treatment at high temperature 645 °C for 240 min. Shear strength of the bimetallic plates was about 432 MPa more than twice the value required by the standard. The maximum hardness value was obtained near the joint on the side of SS304L, and the minimum one appeared in the middle of the explosive welding interface.