← Glossary
Sigma Phase
A hard, brittle intermetallic phase that precipitates in high-chromium and stainless alloys upon prolonged high-temperature exposure, impairing toughness.
Sigma phase forms in high-alloy steels when the structure is exposed to high temperatures for a long time. The material becomes hard and brittle, losing toughness. In welding, this means: if you hold the parts in the critical temperature range too long, you risk cracks in the structure and a poor weld. So keep heat input low and cool quickly, then you'll have few problems in practice.
MetallurgieSchweißtechnik