Passivity breakdown due to discontinuous precipitation during ageing of 21Cr-10Mn-5Ni stainless steel

Discontinuous precipitation in a 21Cr-10Mn-5Ni steel was found to result in breakdown of passivity when tested in a 0.5 m H₂SO₄ + 0.01 m KSCN solution. The electrochemical response was similar to that due to sensitization of conventional stainless steels. The ageing time and temperature affected the resistance of the passive film, with lower ageing temperatures being more severe in terms of passivity breakdown. The effect of interlamellar spacing on the chromium depletion, the effect of volume diffusion on the healing of the matrix, and the solubility product reaction for precipitation, were considered to explain the observed different strengths of passive films formed on specimens aged at different temperatures and times. The observance of good corrosion protection in spite of the presence of profuse precipitates was in contrast to the effect of grain-boundary carbide proliferation on the corrosion resistance of conventional stainless steels.