Stress corrosion cracking of pure copper in dilute ammoniacal solutions

Studies of the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of 99.999% copper and Cu-Zn alloys containing up to 10 wt%Zn in NH₄OH solution were made with varying concentrations (0.03–0.07 M) and temperatures (40–70°C). Stress corrosion cracking occurs on pure copper and all of the alloys under the condition in which thick tarnish film (Cu₂O oxide film) forms. The path of cracking is transgranular for pure copper and alloys containing < 1.3 wt%Zn, but intergranular for alloys containing > 1.3 wt%Zn. Crack propagation rates and times-to-failure estimated by the tarnish rupture theory, utilizing experimentally determined values of the fracture strain of film and the creep rate of specimens during SCC tests, are in good agreement with those observed under constant load.