| Abstract: | Passivation behaviour and stress corrosion cracking of iron-maganese-chromium alloys in sodium chloride solution Electrochemical experiments with MnCr steels (20–28% Mn, up to 12% Cr) in 3% NaCl solution. High Mn contents reduce the passivation tendency, while increasing Cr contents broaden the range of passivity. The formation of surface layers is due primarily to a direct reaction with the solution (good adhesion, high protective value) and, secondarily, to precipitation from the solution (porosity, low protective value). The tendency to form secondary layers increases as the Cr content is reduced. In oxygen containing solution there is a pronounced corrosion in the pitting range. At low Cr contents, stress corrosion cracking is mostly transcrystalline, at higher Cr contents (8–12%) it is intercrystalline, in particular when Cr carbide precipitations are present at the grain boundaries. In the range of transcrystalline corrosion the susceptibility to selective corrosion extends beyond the pitting potential. At higher Cr contents there may be pitting without any indication of stress corrosion cracking. |
