Welded joints of structure steels have lower corrosion resistance in comparison to base metal. To increase corrosion resistance of welded joints and heat-affected zone they use longtime and energy-consuming methods of thermal and mechanic processing. The article covers the possibility of using the superplasticity deformation (SD) effect for processing of welded joints. The effect of SD is that metals and alloys with a small grain size (of the order of 10 μm) under conditions of isothermal deformation at a certain temperature acquire the ability for unusually large plastic deformations while reducing the deformation resistance. Grain-boundary sliding during superplasticity provides a high degree of structural homogeneity. If the metal does not have the small grain size, then during isothermal deformation at appropriate temperature the SD effect will not be fully manifested but will cause relaxation of residual micro and macro strains, recrystallization, which can be used during processing of welded joints to ensure their full strength. There have been carried out the investigation of processing methods impact - SD, thermal cycling and influence of post-welding treatment on corrosion rate and microstructure of steels 20 and 30KhGSA. It is shown that after deformation in superplasticity mode there is low corrosion rate and more favorable microstructure in the studied samples of steel. Post-welding processing of welded joints in SD mode provides low tool loads and low energy costs.
