EFFECT OF ATMOSPHERIC AND MARINE CORROSIVE ENVIRONMENTS ON TENSILE, IMPACT AND HARDNESS PROPERTIES OF SOME STEELS

Three steels, namely: AISI 1080, AISI 4340 and stainless 17-7 PH are e xposed to various environments. These include industrially polluted se a water, natural sea water, drinking tap water, dry/wet industrial sea site, industrial and laboratory atmospheres. After exposure, of up to 6 months, specimens are tested for tensile impact and hardness proper ties. Losses in ultimate tensile strength due to short term exposure t o corrosive environments are observed. Decrease in elongation at ruptu re is found to be a good measure for detecting short term corrosion of these three steels. Impact strength is found to be significantly redu ced. Rockwell hardness numbers of these steels experience slight decre ases compared to the as-received conditions.