Effect of cold work on stress corrosion cracking behavior of types 304 and 316 stainless steels

The influence of cold work (prestraining) in the range 2.3 to 56 pct on stress corrosion cracking (SCC) properties of types 304 and 316 stainless steels in boiling MgCl2 solution at 154 °C was investigated using a constant load method. In both materials, SCC initiation was in transgranular mode. Transition in stress corrosion cracking mode from transgranular to intergranular, as the crack proceeds, was observed at all cold work levels in 316 stainless steel and at cold work levels of 26 pct and 56 pct in 304 stainless steel. Both prestraining and increase in the initial applied stress facilitated the transition in crack morphology to intergranular mode. Increased tendency to intergranular SCC at high applied stresses and in cold worked specimens appears to be mechanistically analogous.     

304不锈钢水槽应力腐蚀开裂分析

针对304不锈钢水槽底面特别是出水口处发生的锈蚀现象,通过直读光谱仪、金相显微镜、图像分析仪、扫描电镜及能谱仪,对304不锈钢锈蚀水槽的化学成分、显微组织、裂纹形貌及腐蚀产物的成分进行了检测分析.结果表明,304不锈钢水槽的化学成分、显微组织都符合JIS G 4305标准,水槽锈蚀的主要原因为冲压油未及时清洗,在马氏体、拉应力和氯离子的共同作用下,发生晶间应力腐蚀所致.     

Influence of thermal aging on the intergranular corrosion resistance of types 304LN and 316LN stainless steels

Intergranular corrosion (IGC) resistance of types 304LN and 316LN stainless steels (SS) thermally aged at 823, 873, and 923 K for various durations was assessed by ASTM A262 practice A test (electrolytic etch test) and electrochemical potentiodynamic reactivation (EPR) test. The results indicated that the type 316LN SS has significantly improved IGC resistance compared to 304LN SS. Based on the results of these tests, time-temperature-sensitization (TTS) diagrams were developed for both alloys. The secondary precipitates formed during thermal aging treatments were electrochemically extracted and analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) to determine the types of precipitates formed during the aging treatments. The results indicated that the precipitates were mostly of M₂₃C₆ carbides.     

Stress corrosion cracking of stainless steels

The similarities and differences in the stress corrosion cracking response of ferritic and austenitic stainless steels in chloride solutions will be examined. Both classes of materials exhibit a cracking potential: similar transient response (to loading) of the potential in open circuit tests or the current in potentiostatic tests and similar enrichment of chromium and depletion of iron in the film associated with localized corrosion processes. The ferritic steels are more resistant to localized corrosion than are the austenitic steels, which is responsible for the difference in the influence of prior thermal and mechanical history on cracking susceptibility of the two types of steel. Similarities in the fractography of stress corrosion cracks and those produced by brittle delayed failure during cathodic charging of the ferritic steels indicate that hydrogen embrittlement is involved in the failure process.     

高温水环境下温度对316L不锈钢应力腐蚀开裂的影响

在高温水环境中,采用慢应变速率拉伸实验方法研究了温度对316 L不锈钢应力腐蚀开裂的影响规律,并通过扫描电镜(SEM)对试样断口形貌进行分析.结果表明:在高温水环境中,温度为200~345℃时316 L不锈钢具有应力腐蚀开裂敏感性;材料脆性指标随温度升高而增大,应力腐蚀开裂敏感性增强,断口分析与之吻合;250℃是316 L不锈钢发生应力腐蚀开裂的敏感温度,断口边缘形貌呈现明显脆性断裂特征.     

Intergranular stress corrosion cracking behavior of types 308 and 316 stainless steel weld metals in a simulated boiling water reactor environment

The sensitization behavior of types 308 and 316 stainless steel weld metals as internal overlays for reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) was studied with respect to the effects of postweld heat treatment (PWHT) at about 600 °C during RPV fabrication and low-temperature aging during operation. For the study, a criterion for the rate of intergranular corrosion (IGC) for detecting the susceptibility to intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) in high-temperature oxygenated pure water was established by quantitatively evaluating the results from a modified ASTM A262E test. A criterion for expecting satisfactory resistance to IGSCC was found to be an IGC rate of about 1 μm/h. Type 308 weld metal can be sensitized as indicated by an IGC rate >1 μm/h, and can be healed, as indicated by an IGC rate <1 μm/h, depending on the length of PWHT. However, this healed weld metal can be resensitized by exposing it to 500 °C×24 h; in this condition, it shows a relatively high susceptibility to IGSCC. On the contrary, type 316 weld metal was almost immune to sensitization under the same heat treatments. By transmission electron microscopy (TEM), its excellent resistance was attributable to carbon fixation by molybdenum carbide precipitation within ferrite phases during PWHT. Reheat embrittlement of type 316 weld metal was also examined.     

Effect of strain rate on stress corrosion cracking in duplex type 304 stainless steel weld metal

The influence of strain-rate on the stress-corrosion cracking properties of wholly austenitic Type 304 base metal and duplex austeno-ferritic Type 304 weld metal in boiling MgCl₂ was investigated using constant extension rate tensile testing techniques. Transgranular SCC in both base and weld metals is preferred at low strain-rates, while intergranular cracking in the base metal and interphase cracking along the austenite-ferrite interface in the weld metal are preferred at higher strain-rates. Promotion of the intergranular stress-corrosion cracking in the base metal and “interphase-interface” stresscorrosion cracking in the weld metal with increases in strain-rate may be mechanistically analogous. Stress-induced alterations in the grain or interphase boundary defect structure may make these regions preferentially susceptible to dissolution. W. A. BAESLACK III, Lt., USAF, formerly with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York     

A mechanistic study of transgranular stress corrosion cracking of type 304 stainless steel

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was utilized to characterize the deformation substructure of 304 stainless steel tested for transgranular stress corrosion cracking (TGSCC) in 45 wt pet MgCl₂ at 155 °C. The TEM characterization was conducted in thin foils prepared from the fracture surface and from a series of known depths below the fracture surface. The results indicate that the stacking fault energy (SFE) of the material immediately ahead of the crack tip is lowered, with the deformation mode at small distances (a few microns) in front of the growing crack front being entirely coplanar while at larger distances homogeneous. The reduction in the SFE is attributed to absorbed hydrogen formed during the cathodic reaction. Based on this and previous observations of transgranular stress corrosion characteristics of aus-tenitic stainless steels in chloride environments, a “hydrogen-induced cleavage” model is proposed. This model is essentially a modification of a model based on enhanced structural reactivity associated with Lomer-Cottrell locks proposed by Robertson and Tetelmann in 1962.²⁷     

Grain boundary segregation in austenitic stainless steels and its effect on intergranular corrosion and stress corrosion cracking

This paper reports a study of grain boundary segregation, intergranular corrosion, and intergranular stress corrosion cracking in austenitic stainless steels. The results show that phosphorus, nitrogen, and sulfur all segregate to grain boundaries in these materials and that they can affect one another's segregation through site compctition. In particular, the results demonstrate that phosphorus segregation can be lowered by the presence of nitrogen and sulfur in the steel. Also, if manganese is present in the steel, sulfur segregation will be greatly decreased as a result of formation of manganese sulfides. Phosphorus, sulfur, and nitrogen will not initiate intergranular corrosion in the modified Strauss test, although if corrosion is initiated by chromium depletion, these elements might enhance the corrosion process. Phosphorus segregation does enhance corrosion in the Huey test, even in steels that have not undergone grain boundary chromium depletion, although there does not appear to be a precise correlation between the depth of corrosion penetration and phosphorus segregation. Intergranular stress corrosion cracking in 288 °C water at a pH of 2.5 and electrochemical potential of OV_SHE can occur in these steels even in the absence of chromium depletion if sulfur is present on the grain boundaries. Phosphorus segregation appears to have very little effect.     

Stress corrosion cracking of stainless steels in NaCl solutions

The metallurgical influences on the stress corrosion resistance of many commercial stainless steels have been studied using the fracture mechanics approach. The straight-chromium ferritic stainless steels, two-phase ferritic-austenitic stainless steels and high-nickel solid solutions (like alloys 800 and 600) investigated are all fully resistant to stress corrosion cracking at stress intensity (K₁) levels ≤ MN • m-^3/2 in 22 pct NaCl solutions at 105 °C. Martensitic stainless steels, austenitic stainless steels and precipitation hardened superalloys, all with about 18 pct chromium, may be highly susceptible to stress corrosion cracking, depending on heat treatment and other alloying elements. Molybdenum additions improve the stress corrosion cracking resistance of austenitic stainless steels significantly. The fracture mechanics approach to stress corrosion testing of stainless steels yields results which are consistent with both the service experience and the results from testing with smooth specimens. In particular, the well known “Copson curve” is reproduced by plotting the stress corrosion threshold stress intensity (AT_ISCC) vs the nickel content of stainless steels with about 18 pct chromium. Formerly with the BBC Brown Boveri Company, Baden, Switzerland     

Corrosion fatigue and stress corrosion cracking of type 304 stainless steel in boiling NaOH solution

Results are reported for corrosion fatigue of Type 304 stainless steel in boiling (140 C) 17.5M NaOH (46 wt pct) solution. Specimens, of the smooth round bar type, were cycled sinusoidally at 1.0 Hz in tension-tension about mean stresses of 248 MPa (36 ksi) and 124 MPa (18 ksi). Both solution annealed and sensitized specimens cracked readily in a transgranular mode. Sensitization did not increase the environmental effect. The caustic solution drastically shortened cyclic life and eliminated the endurance limit observed in air. Cyclic stress was a more important variable than mean stress as the lower mean stress did not significantly improve life. Anodic passivation did not increase cyclic life as it did for constant load SCC. Comparison of the SCC tests results with those of corrosion fatigue indicates that cyclic stresses, even when confined to the elastic region, accelerate failure more than sustained loads in the plastic region; this accelerative effect was most intense under anodic passivation. R. W. STAEHLE, formerly Professor of Metallurgical Engineering, and Director of The Fontana Corrosion Center, Ohio State University     

Microstructural effects on the stress corrosion cracking behavior of medium and high strength steels

The effects of variations in microstructure and strength level on the stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of three medium to high strength steels, H13, 300M, and HY-130, in 3.5 pct NaCl have been systematically studied. Superimposed on the expected inverse dependence of K_ISCC on yield strength was more than an order of magnitude reduction in crack growth rate, with no strength penalty. These results have been analyzed in terms of the possible relative roles of different microstructural features, in particular retained austenite, whose detailed behavior is the subject of a companion paper.     

Microstructural effects on the stress corrosion cracking behavior of medium and high strength steels

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A - The effects of variations in microstructure and strength level on the stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of three medium to high strength steels,...     

Microstructural effects on the stress corrosion cracking behavior of medium and high strength steels

The effects of variations in microstructure and strength level on the stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of three medium to high strength steels, H13, 300M, and HY-130, in 3.5 pct NaCl have been systematically studied. Superimposed on the expected inverse dependence of K_ISCC on yield strength was more than an order of magnitude reduction in crack growth rate, with no strength penalty. These results have been analyzed in terms of the possible relative roles of different microstructural features, in particular retained austenite, whose detailed behavior is the subject of a companion paper.     

The effects of cold working on sensitization and intergranular corrosion behavior of AISI 304 stainless steel

The effects of prior cold rolling of up to an 80 pct reduction in thickness on the sensitization-desensitization behavior of Type AISI 304 stainless steel and its susceptibility to intergranular corrosion have been studied by electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation (EPR) and Strauss-test methods. The results indicate that the prior deformation accelerated the sensitization as compared to the undeformed stainless steel. The deformed Type 304 stainless steel experienced desensitization at higher temperatures and times, and it was found to be enhanced by increased cold deformation. This could be attributed to the increased long-range chromium diffusion, possibly brought on by increasing pipe diffusion and vacancies. The role of the deformation-induced martensite (DIM) and texture, introduced by uniaxial cold rolling, on the sensitization-desensitization kinetics has also been discussed. This study could not reveal any systematic relationship between texture and the degree of sensitization (DOS) obtained. The effect of DIM on DOS seems to be pronounced at 500 °C when the steel retained significant amounts of DIM; however, the retained DIM is insignificant at higher sensitization times and temperatures.     

Deformation-induced martensitic characteristics in 304 and 316 stainless steels during room-temperature rolling

The effect of grain size on the deformation-induced martensite (α′) in 304 and 316 stainless steels (SS) during room-temperature rolling has been studied. Samples of four grain sizes of 52, 180, 229, and 285 μ in 304 and three grain sizes of 77, 125, and 200 /μm in 316 SS have been rolled from 16 to 63 pct reduction in thicknesses to characterize the microstructures during the rolling deformation. The amount of α′ formed increases with increase in the amount of deformation in both SS for a given grain size. The volume fraction of martensite formed increases with a decrease in grain size in 304 SS, while the α’ martensite formation has been found to be grain size insensitive in 316 SS. The volume fraction of α’ formed in 304 SS is always higher than that in 316 SS for a fixed percent reduction in thickness and grain size. This is attributed to the higher number of shear band intersections observed in 304 SS, which are considered to be the nucleation sites for the α’ embryos. The lath martensite obtained at small true rolling strains changes to blocky type at higher true strains. The morphology of α′ formed has been discussed and its characteristics obtained from rolling deformation have been compared with those earlier reported from the room-temperature tensile deformation.     

Creep deformation and fracture behavior of types 316 and 316L(N) stainless steels and their weld metals

The creep properties of a nuclear-grade type 316(L) stainless steel (SS) alloyed with nitrogen (316L(N) SS) and its weld metal were studied at 873 and 923 K in the range of applied stresses from 100 to 335 MPa. The results were compared with those obtained on a nuclear-grade type 316 SS, which is lean in nitrogen. The creep rupture lives of the weld metals were found to be lower than those of the respective base metals by a factor of 5 to 10. Both the base and weld metals of 316L(N) SS exhibited better resistance to creep deformation compared to their 316 SS counterparts at identical test conditions. A power-law relationship between the minimum creep rate and applied stress was found to be obeyed for both the base and weld metals. Both the weld metals generally exhibited lower rupture elongation than the respective base metals; however, at 873 K, the 316 SS base and weld metals had similar rupture elongation at identical applied stresses. Comparison of the rupture lives of the two steels to the ASME curves for the expected minimum stress to rupture for 316 SS base and weld metals showed that, for 316L(N) SS, the specifications for maximum allowable stresses based on data for 316 SS could prove overconservative. The influence of nitrogen on the creep deformation and fracture behavior, especially in terms of its modifying the precipitation kinetics, is discussed in light of the microstructural observations. In welds containing δ ferrite, the kinetics of its transformation and the nature of the transformation products control the deformation and fracture behavior. The influence of nitrogen on the δ ferrite transformation behavior and coarsening kinetics is also discussed, on the basis of extensive characterization by metallographic techniques.     

Carbide- matrix interface mechanism of stress corrosion cracking behavior of high-strength CrMo steels

The effects of tempering temperature and carbon content on the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of high-strength CrMo steels in 3.5 pct NaCl aqueous solution have been studied by means of Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and scanning and transmission electron micros- copy (SEM and TEM). Experimental results show that the specimens with higher carbon content and tempered at lower temperatures have a higher tendency for intergranular fracture and lower threshold stress intensity K_ISCC The SCC behavior is significantly affected by the distribution of carbide particles, especially carbide coverage on prior austenitic grain boundaries, through a carbide-matrix interface mechanism as the interface is the preferential site for the nucleation and propagation of microcracks because of its strong ability to trap hydrogen atoms. In low- temperature tempered states, there is the serious segregation of carbon in the form of carbide particles at prior austenitic grain boundaries, causing low-stress intergranular fracture. After tempering at high temperatures (≥400 °C), both the coalescence of the carbide particles at the grain boundaries and the increase of carbide precipitation within grains cause the decrease of the tendency for intergranular fracture and the rise of K_ISCC. The higher the carbon content in steels, the more the carbide particles at the grain boundaries and, subsequently, the higher the tendency for low-stress intergranular fracture. The carbide effect on K_ISCC makes an important contribution to the phenomenon that K_ISCC decreases with the rise of yield strength of the steels.     

Improvement of the resistance to stress corrosion cracking in austenitic stainless steels by cyclic prestraining

Austenitic stainless steels are known to be sensitive to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in hot chloride solutions. The aim of the present study is to find improvements in the SCC behavior of 316L-type austenitic stainless steels in 117°C MgCl₂ solutions. Previously, the authors have proposed the “corrosion-enhanced plasticity model” (CEPM) to describe the discontinuous cracking process which occurs in SCC. This model is based on localized corrosion (anodic dissolution, and hydrogen absorption)-deformation (dislocations) interactions (CDI). From the framework of this model, it is proposed that a prestraining in fatigue at saturation decreases the SCC sensitivity. This idea is experimentally confirmed for both crack initiation and crack propagation, through the analysis of the SCC behavior by slow-strain-rate tests of single and polycrystals after different prestraining conditions.     

冷变形316L不锈钢在高温高压水中的应力腐蚀

采用恒应力强度因子K=33 MPa·m^1/2的加载方法,利用直流电压降方法在线监测核辅管道316L不锈钢在高纯水中应力腐蚀裂纹扩展速率.对比200、250、280和325℃温度下,氩气除氧和含有2 mg·L^-1溶解氧的水化学环境中材料的裂纹扩展速率发现:溶解氧为2 mg·L^-1时的裂纹扩展速率明显比氩气除氧时的裂纹扩展速率高.氩气除氧时,裂纹扩展速率在250℃时有一个最高点;溶解氧为2 mg·L^-1的条件下,裂纹扩展速率随温度的升高而升高.