The effect of heat treatments on the corrosion fatigue properties of 13 Pct Chromium Stainless Steel in 3 Pct NaCI Aqueous Solution

The effect of austenitizing or tempering temperature on the corrosion fatigue properties of 13 pct chromium stainless steel was studied. Three pct NaCI aqueous solution was used as the corrosive environment, and the results were compared with the atmospheric fatigue properties. Strong influence of the tempering temperature on the S-N and FCP behavior of this blading material was found. The damage ratios (corrosion fatigue limit divided by endurance limit) of these various heat treated specimens became very low by this environment. Especially, extremely low corrosion fatigue strength of the specimen tempered at 600 °C was noticed. This microstructure was strategically used to clarify the reduction of pH inside the corrosion pits which were generally formed at the fatigue crack initiation sites. FCP data in the corrosive environment showed higher resistance than the atmospheric ones at the stress intensities below 18 MPa · m^1/2, and which is opposite to the generally known influence of the corrosive environments. As for the fractographic feature, an appearance of the intergranular facets was especially noticed in NaCI aqueous solution environment. The fraction of this intergranular cracking was obtained as a function of the stress intensity factor.