Effect of Strain Rate on Cathodic Reaction During Stress Corrosion Cracking of X70 Pipeline Steel in a Near-Neutral pH Solution

The effect of strain rate on cathodic reactions of X70 pipeline steel during stress corrosion cracking in a near-neutral pH solution was investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscope and potentiodynamic polarization curve measurements as well as slow strain rate tests. A local additional potential model was used to understand mechanistically the role of strain rate in electrochemical cathodic reaction. It was found that an application of elastic stress would not affect the electrochemical stable state of the steel specimen at a macroscopic scale. Under a weak cathodic polarization, the interfacial charge-transfer process occurring on steel contains both cathodic and anodic reactions. Since the anodic reaction process is still significant, localized dissolution could occur even at such a cathodic potential, resulting in generation of corrosion pits. These pits could be the start sites to initiate stress corrosion cracks. Strain rate affects the corrosion reaction, which is associated with the generation of dislocation emergence points and slip steps on the specimen surface, resulting in a negative local additional potential to enhance the cathodic reaction locally.