Effect of Electrode Waterproof Coating on Quality of Underwater Wet Welded Joints

In this paper, the effects of different hydrophobic coatings on the surface of covered electrodes on the quality of wet welded carbon steel joints were discussed. Commonly available hydrophobic substances used in industrial applications were selected for the research. The aim of using waterproof coatings was to check the possibility to decreasing the susceptibility of high-strength low-alloy S460N steel to cold cracking. During experiments diffusible hydrogen content in deposited metal determination by mercury method, metallographic macro- and microscopic testing and hardness measurements were performed. Investigations showed that waterproof coatings laid on covered electrodes can improve the quality of wet welded joints, by decreasing the Vickers HV10 hardness in heat-affected zone and decreasing the diffusible hydrogen content in deposited metal, which minimalize possibility of cold cracking.