INFLUENCE OF HYDROGEN IN THE SHIELDING GAS ARGON

ON PRODUCTIVITY OF WELDING OF AUSTENITIC STAINLESS

STEELS
J. Tu ek,

Fakulteta za strojni tvo, A kereva 6,1000 Ljubljana (SLO)

tel. (+386) 061 17 71 200, fax. (+386) 061 218 567

Key words: hydrogen, TIG welding, MIG welding, stainless steel.

Summary
In practice welding of austenitic stainless steels finds applications in various fields. The
application of these steels is very importnat in manufacture of products coming into
contact with sea water, in shipbuilding and other off-shore structures. In general
welding of austenitic stainless steels is not problematic. They may be welded with almost
all known welding processes. In practice two arc fusion welding processes, ie.TIG and
MIG processes, are mostly used. In TIG welding the arc burns between the nonconsumable tungsten electrode and the workpiece protected by a neutral gas. Most
commonly used shielding gas is argon or helium or a mixture of both. It is known that
helium has a high ionisation potential, which provides a stronger arc and more efficient
welding. A few percentages of hydrogen may be added to the pure gas or gas mixture.
The paper will show influence of hydrogen in a neutral gas on the TIG welding process.
Influence of hydrogen in the shielding gas on the MIG welding process of stainless steel
will be shown as well.
By means of practical experiments the influence of hydrogen in the shielding gas on
behaviour of the arc, welding parameters and quantity of the parent metal melted in each
of the above-mentioned processes will be studied. In MIG welding also the influence of
hydrogen in argon on the quantity of the filler material melted will be studied.
The paper will also partially show the influence of hydrogen in the shielding gas on the
weld shape and its mechanical properties in welding of stainless steel.

1.

INTRODUCTION

Gas-shielded arc welding is at present widely used in practice. New and new techniques
and various solutions constantly widen its applicability. In fusion arc welding a great part
is played by the type of shielding gas used since it affects the arc shape, material transfer
mode and energy distribution, i.e. temperature distribution, in the arc. At present almost
exclusively mixtures of two, three or even more different gases are used to protect the
arc and the molten pool. The most frequently used gases are CO2 and Ar in various
mixtures. To these two gases, a smaller portion of oxygen, in some cases also helium,
hydrogen or nitrogen, is added.
Composition of a shielding mixture in arc welding depends mostly on the kind of material
to be welded. The selection of the shielding gas should, by all means, take into account
chemical-metallurgical processes between gases and the molten pool occuring during
welding.
Welding of high-alloy stainless steels seems to be a very exacting task of joining
materials. This group of steels is made of not only austenitic steels but also high-alloy
ferritic, martensitic, duplex, and superduplex steels.
These steels are mostly TIG or MIG welded. In TIG welding pure argon is used as a
shielding gas, in MIG welding, however, 2 % of oxygen is added to argon to ensure
better fusion of the filler material and droplet formation.
Hydrogen has been added to argon in welding of high-alloy stainless steels only lately.
An argon-hydrogen mixture may be used in TIG and MIG welding processes.

2.

BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF HYDROGEN AND ARGON

Physical-chemical properties of each of the two gases are very different. It is the very
difference between them which contributes to a very high-quality gas mixture which may
be used as a shielding gas or a plasma gas in thermal cutting and welding.

Fig. 1. Thermal conductivity of gases as a function of temperature.

Thermal conductivity of each of the gases is shown in Fig. 1. The diagram shows that
thermal conductivity of hydrogen in the temperature range between 3000 and 4500 K is
almost ten times higher than that of argon. This temperature range is namely prevailing in
the welding arc /1, 2/. Thermal conductivity of the arc affects its shape and the welding
process as such.
Figure 2 shows enthalpy of four different gases. Hydrogen gas enthalpy is higher than
that of argon in almost in the whole temperature range. Enthalpy of a shielding gas
affects arc formation, arc shape, and temperature distribution in the arc as well.
Electrical conductivity as a function of temperature is shown for four gases in Figure 3.

Fig. 2. Gas enthalpy as a function of temperature.

Fig. 3. Electrical conductivity of gases as a function of temperature.

Table 1 shows some chemical and physical properties of argon and hydrogen /3/.
Table 1: Basic chemical and physical properties of argon and hydrogen.
Type of gas Content in
the air
(vol. %)

Hydrogen
H2

Boiling
point at
1.013 bar
(C)

Atomic
weight and
mean
molecular
weight
resp.

Density at
15C, 1 bar
(kg/m3)

Relative
density
with regard
to the air
(=1) at
15C,
1 bar

0.5 10-6 1)

-252.9

2.016

0.085

0.06

Argon
Ar

0.934

-185.9

39.948

1.669

1.38

Helium
He

5.2 10-6 1)

-268.9

4.002

0.167

0.14

Nitrogen
N2

78.084

-195.8

28.013

1.170

0.91

0.033 1)

- 78.5 2)

44.011

1.849

1.44

20.946

-183.0

31.998

1.337

1.04

Carbon
dioxide
CO2
Oxygen
O2

Dissociation

and
ionization
energies
(eV)3)

4.48
13.59
--15.76
27.50
-24.56
54.10
9.76
14.55
29.60

Chemical
activity

reducing

inert

inert

reactive

oxidizing
5.08
13.62
35.20

oxidizing

1) it is not obtained from the atmosphere.

2) sublimation temperature
3) 1 eV = 1.6 10-6 J
Note: ionization energy of the majority of metals ranges between 6 and 9 eV.

The energy required for ionization of a particular gas is also very important for the
welding arc, arc power and energy distribution in the arc. Voltage drop across the arc is,
however, directly dependent on ionization energy.
Dependence between voltage and current intensity at a certain arc length is called the
static characteristic of the arc. Fig. 4 shows two characteristics which differ strongly and
have been taken from different literature references. The first,left diagram shows the
static characteristic for TIG welding in various shielding gases /3/. The second, right
diagram, however, shows the static characteristic for TIG welding with three different
arc lengths and arc burning in argon with 2 vol. % of hydrogen /4/. The two static
characteristics of the welding arcs differ strongly. Most certainly it is the static
characteristic shown in the right diagram which is more reliable (Fig. 4).

16

80

He
N2

40

Ar
0

Ar + 2% H 2
Lobl= 3 mm

H2
Arc voltage [V]

Arc voltage [V]

120

200

12

8
400

600

800

1000

80

Current [A]

160

200

Current [A]

Fig. 4. Static characteristic of the welding arc: left /3/, right /4/.
From the diagram in Fig. 4 (left) it may be found and confirmed that voltage drop at a
constant current depends on the type of shielding gas used and that it is the highest with
hydrogen as a shielding gas.
2.1

Argon

Argon is a gas without colour, odour and taste. It is not flammable, not toxic and is
neutral which means that it does not react with other elements to form compounds.
Argon is obtained from the atmosphere although it occurs in the atmosphere only to the
extent of 0.934%. Being 1.38-times heavier than the air it provides a very efficient and
stable protection of the arc and the molten pool. Owing to its low ionization energy, arc
ignition under protection of argon is very reliable. Its burning is very stable also with
longer welding arcs.
Thermal conductivity of argon is very low (Fig. 1) which affects the arc shape and weld
shape. In MIG welding under pure argon shielding a wine-glass-shaped weld is obtained
/5/.
In gas-shielded arc welding, argon assuredly plays the most important part. It is used as a
basic shielding gas with O2, CO2, He, H2 additions or as an addition to CO2 gas.
2.2

Hydrogen

Hydrogen is a gas withour colour, odour and taste and is non-toxic. It is flammable
(ignition point at 560 C). It is much lighter than the air (see Table 1) and explosive in a
mixture with the air and oxygen in a very wide range. Of all gases it has the highest
thermal conductivity, high enthalpy and is reducing, which means that it combines with
oxygen and hinders oxide formation.
Hydrogen as a shielding gas is used as an addition to other gases, mainly argon, but also
helium in smaller quantities.
Hydrogen is used to a larger extent with argon as a plasma gas or as a component in the
argon-hydrogen mixture for root shield in welding of high-alloy stainless steels /8/.
According to EN 439 the nitrogen-hydrogen mixture (forming gas) is used as root shield.
The hydrogen content in the mixture ranges from 0 to 50 %.

2.3

Argon-hydrogen mixture

The argon-hydrogen mixture is used in practice mostly as a plasma gas in plasma welding
and plasma cutting.
The argon-hydrogen mixture has been lately increasingly used as a shielding gas in arc
welding of austenitic stainless steels, ferrite and martensitic steels. The majority of the
authors of studies on shielded-gas welding recommends from 0.5 to 5 % hydrogen in
argon /3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9/.
Hydrogen addition to argon increases voltage drop in the arc, and consequently arc
power. Owing to high thermal conductivity of hydrogen, the arc gets narrower and
energy concentration in it increases, which entails a deeper penetration. Hydrogen as a
reducing gas hinders oxide formation on the surface of the final layer of the weld. Weld
appearance is consequently nicer. Hydrogen addition to a shielding atmosphere may,
however, raise some difficulties. Hydrogen solubility in molten metals is namely very
high. Hydrogen in steel and other metals, however, may produce gas bubbles and cracks.

3.

EXPERIMENTAL WORK

In studying the influence of hydrogen in the argon shielding gas on the welding process
and weld shape, two welding processes were used. In TIG welding only the workpiece
surface was melted using various welding parameters. This means that no filler material
was used. In MIG welding, surfacing was carried out on a flat plate. In both processes
the same parent metal was used. The chemical composition of the filler material and
parent metal is given in Table 2.
Table 2: Chemical composition of the parent metal and filler material.

Parent metal
Filler material

C
< 0.12
0.12

Si
< 0.20
0.60

Mn
< 1.50
7.00

Cr
18.25
18.50

Ni
8.0
9.0

Mo
< 0.80
--

In each welding process three different current intensities, ie.150, 200, and 250 A, were
used.. Five welds were produced with each current intensity in different shieldings.
Shielding gases used were pure argon, Ar+0.5%H2, Ar+1%H2, Ar+5%H2, Ar+10%H2,
and Ar+20%H2.
In TIG welding a conventional power supply with a drooping static characteristic and a
thyristor power supply with feedback control were used. Welding was carried out with a
thoriated tungsten electrode. The arc length was 3 - 5 mm.
In MIG welding a synergic power supply designed for high-production MIG/MAG arc
welding of all kinds of steel was used. The unit permits a wire feed speed of up to 35
m/min. A 1.2 mm welding wire was used. The wire extension length was 16 mm.
In all cases the width and length of workpieces were the same, while workpiece thickness
was 8 mm in TIG welding and 10 mm in MIG welding.
During welding, welding parameters, gas flow, and welding speed were measured. After
welding the workpieces were visually inspected, then cut and macrosections made.

On the macrosections, the area of the molten parent metal and filler material was
measured, melting efficiency and melting rate were calculated.
4.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

It has already been mentioned earlier in the document, when decribing the results
obtained by other authors, that hydrogen addition to a shielding gas in arc welding
affects the static characteristic of the arc and increases arc power which results in a
larger quantity of the material melted. But the majority of the authors reporting on such
studies welded with a shielding gas which contained only 4% of H2 in argon. Our results
will refer to six different mixtures. We used argon and its mixtures with 0.5, 1.0, 5, 10
and 20% of H2.
4.1

TIG welding

In TIG welding the influence of hydrogen in argon shielding gas on welding parameters,
the quantity of parent metal melted and welding efficiency was studied.
4.1.1 Static characteristic of the welding arc
Fig. 5 shows the static characteristic of the welding arc in TIG welding with various
hydrogen contents in the argon shielding gas at a constant arc length. The static
characteristic is in its shape and values similar to the one shown in Fig. 4 (right /4/). With
a larger addition of hydrogen to argon the voltage drop across the arc is stronger due to
higher electric resistance. A strong arc-voltage drop is produced by higher ionization
energy and higher thermal conductivity of hydrogen if compared to argon. The arc length
was constant, ie. 4 mm.
36

L = 4 mm
= 3,25 mm

Arc voltage [V]

32
28

H2
20%
Ar +

24

5% H2
Ar +
H2
0,5%
Ar +

20
16

Ar
12
50

100

150

200

250

300

Current [A]

Fig. 5. Static characteristic of the welding arc in TIG welding in various shielding
atmospheres (Lo = 4 mm, minus pole on electrode).
Fig. 6 shows two curves showing the correlation between arc voltage and welding
current intensity at constant welding-rectifier settings, at a constant welding arc length
and with various shielding gas mixtures. Curve 1 shows a welding arc characteristic with
a conventional power supply with a drooping characteristic. Owing to hydrogen addition

to argon, voltage drop across the arc is getting stronger, therefore, a lower welding
current is carried through the whole current circuit. The higher hydrogen content in
argon, the stronger voltage drop and the lower welding current intensity at unchanged
external power-supply settings.

Arc voltage [V]

30

Lo = 3 mm

Lo = 4 mm

26

2
1

22
18
14
190

195

200

Current [A]

245

250

255

Current [A]

Fig. 6. Correlation between arc voltage and welding current intensity with two different
power supplies and with different argon-hydrogen shielding mixtures
(minus pole on electrode).
Curve 2 shows a correlation between arc voltage and current intensity with a thyristortype power supply with feedback control. It may be observed that electric resistance in
the arc is increased due to hydrogen addition, current intensity, however, does not
essentially reduce.
4.1.2 Influence of hydrogen in argon used in TIG welding on the quantity of the
parent metal melted
In the experiments made welding was carried out in pure argon and in five different
argon-hydrogen mixtures. Three different current intensities were selected, ie. 150, 200
and 250 A, minus pole on electrode, while the arc length (Lo = 3.5 mm) and welding
speed (vw = 0.3 m/min) were held constant.
Fig. 7 shows the quantity of the parent metal melted per unit of time as a function of
welding current and hydrogen content in argon.
The results obtained and shown in the diagram in Fig. 7 are quite surprising.
The quantity of parent metal melted namely strongly increases with hydrogen addition. It
is only with hydrogen addition to argon that the quantity of parent metal melted increases
several times.

0A
I = 25

vw = 0,3 m /m in
L o = 3,5 m m

M [kg/h]

00 A
I=2

4
3

0A
I = 15

2
1
0
0 1

10

15

20

vol.% H 2 in Ar

Fig. 7. Influence of hydrogen (vol. %) in argon and welding current intensity in TIG
welding on the quantity of the parent metal melted (stainless steel 18/8)
(Lo = 3.5 mm, vw = 0.3 m/min, minus pole on electrode).
Fig. 8 shows two macrosections of the fusion zone obtained in TIG welding in different
shielding media and at a constant welding current. Arc voltage varied due to different
shielding media.

M 2.2 : 1

Fig. 8. Macrosections of the welds made with the same current intensity
but in different shielding mixtures and at different arc voltages
(minus pole on electrode).
Left: I = 200 A, U = 14 V, v = 0.3 m/min, Ar
Right: I = 200 A, U = 21 V, v = 0.3 m/min, Ar+10%H2
Questions immediately arise what the quality of the weld metal may be and whether
hydrogen absorption in the molten pool occurred during welding. Separate studies on the
quantity of diffusible hydrogen in the weld metal are yet to be conducted sometime in
future. Visual assessment of the weld metal is very favourable and gives rise to no
remarks. The weld-metal surface is cleaner and without oxides if hydrogen is added to
argon. Hydrogen is namely a reducing gas.
For an easier assessment of the TIG welding process with hydrogen addition, melting
efficiency of the welding process was calculated too.

Equation 1 gives melting efficiency of TIG welding.

=

M E t

I U dt

100 [%]

(1)

where
M [g/s] - quantity of the parent metal melted per unit of time
E [J/g] - energy theoretically required to melt 1 g of austenitic stainless steel
I [A], U [V], t [s] - welding parameters.
The energy theoretically required to melt high-alloy austenitic steel was calculated by
means of Equation 2.
E = m c p T

(2)

where
m [g]
- mass
cp [J/gK] - thermal capacity
T [K] - difference between ambient temperature and melting point of
high-alloy austenitic stainless steel
Thermal capacity of the high-alloy stainless steel was calculated by means of a diagram
showing cp as a function of the temperature taken from Ref. 10. The melting point of the
austenitic stainless steel was 1450 C.
The dependence of cp [J/gK] from a temperature T (0 - 1450 C) can be described by a
polynominyl of third degree (Equation 3):
c p (T ) = 3 10 9 T 3 5 10 5 T 2 + 01897
.
T + 506.5

(3)

The mean specific heat of the austenitic stainless steel in the interval (0, 1450 C) can be
calculated by means of Equation 4:
T

c p.sr .

2
1
=
c p (T )dT
T2 T1 T1

c p.sr .

1
=
1450 0

(4)

1450

c (T )dT
p

cp.sr. = 610.8 J/kgK

By introducing the values obtained in Equation 2, the energy theoretically required to
heat 1 g of stainless steel to the melting temperature is obtained. This value amounts to
891 J. By considering additional energy required for the transformation from the solid to
liquid state, 1160 J/g may be taken as value E in Equation 1.

The results concerning melting efficiency in TIG welding as a function of hydrogen

content in argon are shown in the diagram in Fig. 9.
With the increase of hydrogen content the melting efficiency increases too. Melting
efficiency is higher also in case of a higher current intensity.

40
35

vw = 0,3 m/min
L o = 3,5 mm

I = 250 A
A
I = 200

[%]

30
25
20

0A
I = 15

15
10
5
0
0 1

10

15

20

vol.% H 2 in Ar

Fig. 9. Influence of hydrogen content in argon shielding gas and of welding-current

intensity on the melting efficiency in TIG welding (minus pole on electrode).

4.2

MIG welding

Owing to exceptionally favourable results obtained in TIG welding it was decided to

conduct a similar study on consumable electrode MIG welding of a high-alloy austenitc
stainless steel in argon with hydrogen addition.
A universal wire 18/8/6 with 1.2 mm in diameter was selected. Its chemical composition
is given in Table 1.
Also in MIG welding three different current intensities, ie. 150, 200 and 250 A, and six
different shielding media, ie. Ar, Ar+0.5%H2, Ar+1%H2, Ar+5%H2, Ar+10%H2,
Ar+20%H2, were used. The other welding parameters, ie. welding speed, wire-extension
length, gas flow, welding-current source, were held constant.
Studies were conducted on the influence of hydrogen in argon on the welding
parameters, deposition rate, the quantity of parent metal melted, and the melting
efficiency of MIG welding.
Fig. 10 shows the influence of hydrogen in argon on the quantity of the parent metal and
filler material melted.
It can be stated again that with the increase in hydrogen content in the argon shielding
gas the quantity of the material melted increases, but in comparison to that in TIG
welding, it is much lower. By hydrogen addition to argon also in MIG welding resistance
in the arc increases and, consequently current intensity decreases. Owing to melting of
the filler material passing through the arc, also metal ions are carriers of electric current.
A shielding gas in the arc burning in MIG welding is of lesser importance than in the arc
burning in TIG welding.

10

I = 250 A

M [kg/h]

I = 200 A

I = 150 A

0
0 1

10

15

20

vol.% H 2 in Ar

Fig. 10. Influence of hydrogen in argon on the quantity of parent metal and filler material
melted in MIG welding of austenitic stainless steel
(wire = 1.2 mm, vw = 0.3 m/min, Lw = 16 mm, plus pole on electrode).
By hydrogen addition to argon the quantity of the material melted increases by 10 to 30
%. It should be mentioned, however, that in spite of numerous trials an optimum quantity
of hydrogen in argon, which would ensure stability of the process, still has not been
achieved. Investigations in the mattter are going to be continued.
Fig. 11 shows the influence of hydrogen in argon on melting efficiency in MIG welding.
60

I = 250 A

50

I = 200 A
I = 150 A

[%]

40
30
20
10
0
0 1

10

15

20

vol.% H2 in Ar

Fig. 11. Influence of hydrogen in the argon shielding gas on melting efficiency
in MIG welding of austenitic stainless steel (plus pole on electrode).
The melting efficiency in MIG welding increases with hydrogen addition.

5.

CONCLUSIONS

On the basis of the practical studies accomplished and the results obtained on the
influence of hydrogen in the shielding gas on the TIG and MIG welding processes the
following conclusions may be drawn:
hydrogen addition to the argon shielding gas changes the static characteristic of the
welding arc;
hydrogen addition to the argon shielding gas increases resistance in the arc and arc
energy;
with hydrogen addition to the argon shielding gas the quantity of the austenitic
stainless steel melted in TIG welding increases even by four times;
melting efficiency of TIG welding increases with the increase in current intensity and
hydrogen content in argon;
with hydrogen addition to argon, the quantity of the parent metal and filler material
melted in MIG weldeing of austenitic stainless steel increases by up to 30 %;
with hydrogen addition to argon, the melting efficiency of MIG welding of stainless
steel increases from 30 to 50%.
Finally it can be stated that in TIG welding of high-alloy austenitic stainless steel in the
hydrogen-argon mixture a stable process and quality welds with a very clean surface may
be obtained. Up to 20 % of hydrogen may be added to the argon shielding gas. The
same statement, however, can not be made about MIG welding. In gas-shielded welding
of stainless steel in the hydrogen-argon mixture with a consumable electrode it is namely
very difficult to achieve a stable process.
Investigations in this field are going to be continued.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The author wishes to thank the firm Messer Slovenija which prepared and supplied gratis
all the hydrogen-argon mixtures used in our studies.

6.

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