Effect of carbon on stress corrosion cracking and anodic oxidation of iron in NaOH solutions

Anodic behaviour of decarburised iron and of quenched Fe–C materials with up to 0.875 wt% C was examined in 8.5 M NaOH at 100 °C to explain the role of carbon in caustic stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of plain steels. Removal of carbon from Armco iron strongly reduced its intergranular SCC. Slip steps on grains did not initiate cracks. It has been shown that carbon at low contents deteriorates the passivation of iron, whereas at high contents it promotes the formation of magnetite. High resistance to SCC of high carbon steels can be explained by an intense formation of magnetite on these steels.