Characterization and perspective of stress corrosion cracking of austenitic stainless steels (type 304 and type 316) in acid solutions using constant load method

The stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of the commercial austenitic stainless steels, type 304 and type 316 has been extensively investigated as functions of applied stress, sensitizing temperature, sensitizing time and the environmental factors such as pH, anion concentration, anion species (chloride ions and sulfate ions), test temperature, applied potential and inhibitor concentrations of chromate and molybdate by using a constant load method. We have found that the steady state elongation rate obtained from corrosion elongation curve becomes a relevant parameter for predicting time to failure and also for criterion on assessment of whether SCC takes place or not. The value of t_ss/t_f is also found to become an indicator for assessment of whether SCC takes place or not. Furthermore, from the results obtained, it is deduced that a unified SCC mechanism is qualitatively proposed to explain both of transgranular SCC (TGSCC) and intergranular SCC (IGSCC), where the unified SCC mechanism is basically based on a film rupture- formation event at crack tips.