Characterization of Ferrite-Austenite Boundary Region of Duplex Stainless Steels by SAES

Scanning Auger electron spectroscopy (SAES) has been used to investigate the phase boundary region between ferrite and austenite in three duplex stainless steels. Of the elements investigated Cr and Mo are partitioned to the ferrite phase, while Ni and N are partitioned to the austenite phase. The composition gradient across the phase boundary occurs within a few micrometers. The results are in accordance with previous results of the same phase boundary region obtained with complementary techniques. They form evidence of galvanic interaction between the ferrite and austenite phases and suggest this to be the main cause of the higher initial dissolution rate of ferrite adjacent to the austenite phase. The addition of alloying elements improves corrosion resistance of both the ferrite and austenite phases, the weaker sites are comparatively more strengthened. In the highly alloyed duplex stainless steel, the alloying elements are also partitioned, but in such a way that the corrosion resistance of the two phases is very similar, which results in a homogeneous dissolution behavior. © 2004 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.