Research Status of Welding Processes and Mechanical Properties of Welded Joints Between Stainless Steel and Carbon Steel

In increasingly complex engineering application scenarios， there is a high demand for welding stainless steel to carbon steel. However， differences in alloy content and physical properties between stainless steel and carbon steel often lead to various weld quality issues. Moreover， most current codes and standards do not permit welding these two materials together， creating a contradiction between engineering needs and specifications. The experimental studies and analyses conducted by scholars worldwide on the welding process， metallographic structure， and mechanical properties of stainless steel-carbon steel joints were summarized. The results indicate that with a proper welding process， such welded joints can achieve satisfactory mechanical properties. Tensile failure usually occurs in the heat-affected zone near the carbon steel side of the weld. Due to the potential difference between stainless steel and carbon steel， the welded joint becomes the weakest part in corrosive environments. Existing research focuses more on microstructural behavior and other microscopic aspects of butt welds， while studies on types of welded joints， macroscopic mechanical properties and design methods， as well as corrosion resistance and protective measures for welded joints， remain relatively limited.