Stress corrosion cracking of 18 carat gold

Abstract Due to the so-called “parting limit” in gold alloys there is a general belief that copper–gold alloys with a gold content above 40–45 a/o (atomic %) are immune to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in aqueous solutions. In the present work it is reported that, by an adequate choice of the corrosive environment, it is possible to produce intergranular SCC in Au–Cu alloy of 18 carat gold, equivalent to Au 50 a/o, in aqueous solutions.