S. Shimanuki et K. Nakata, EFFECT OF GRAIN-BOUNDARY CR CONCENTRATION PROFILES ON STRESS-CORROSION CRACKING SUSCEPTIBILITY IN 304-STAINLESS-STEEL, Tetsu to hagane, 83(10), 1997, pp. 653-658
Very narrow chromium (Cr) depletions with widths below 10nm were produ
ced by a heat treatment which controlled a growth of Cr carbides at a
grain boundary (GB) in type 304 stainless steel. A Correlation between
the Cr depletion profile and intergranular stress corrosion cracking
(IGSCC) susceptibility in a high temperature water was investigated. I
GSCC susceptibility was affected especially by the Cr concentration as
compared with the Cr depletion width at GB. The susceptibility increa
sed at the Cr concentration below about 15mass%. No IGSCC susceptibili
ty was observed when there was no Cr depletion at GB. The above mentio
ned results in heat treated materials almost corresponded with that in
neutron irradiated materials.