The Stress Corrosion Cracking of Deformed Austenitic Stainless Steel in an Acidified Chloride Solution

The SCC characteristics of a transformable type 301 stainless steel have been examined under a series of different deformation conditions. The open circuit potential in every case shifted from the same initial potential to the same rest potential ( −380 mV), regardless of the nature of the deformation and the absence or presence of martensite. Deformations that produced martensite accelerated the time to attain the rest potential, but had no influence on failure time at the rest potential. The general profile of behavior was independent of the yield strength, the amount of deformation, the temperature of deformation, and the presence and amount of alpha or alpha plus epsilon martensite. The critical cracking potential (−380 mV) was the same for all conditions with or without deformation and with or without martensite. For all conditions, the potential after film formation was closely related if not identical to the critical cracking potential. The SCC characteristics and related electrochemical parameters were independent of a broad range of varying bulk properties and completely under the control of the surface.