Influence of sodium environment on the uniaxial tensile behavior of titanium modified type 316 stainless steel

True stress-true strain tensile data have been obtained for titanium modified type 316 stainless steel in the solution annealed condition and after exposure to a flowing sodium environment at temperature of 700, 650, 600 and 550°C. The specimens were exposed to sodium for times between 120 and 5012 h to produce carbon penetration depths in the range 0.05–0.30 mm. The Voce equation was used to describe tensile flow curves for plastic strains above 0.005. The results showed that, when compared with solution annealed specimens, the tensile flow behavior of the sodium exposed specimens is characterized by a higher strain hardening rate, which decreases rapidly as the flow stress increases. The loss in tensile ductility of the material due to carburization in sodium environment was found to be minimal.