The effect of composition on SCC of austenitic stainless steel has been investigated in various boiling MgCl2 solutions. The stress applied was a constant load of 25kg/mm2. The relation between the boiling point of MgCl2 solution (concentration of MgCl2) and the time to fracture was determined. The results obtained are as follows:(1) Commercial stainless steels show the maximum susceptibility to SCC over a certain concentration range of boiling MgCl2 solutions.(2) The sensitized stainless steel suffers intergranular stress corrosion cracking in low-concentration boiling MgCl2 solutions.(3) Based on a study of the effect of component elements, it is found that the boiling point of MgCl2 for the minimum time to fracture is shifted to lower temperatures in presence of C and Si and to higher temperatures in presence of Mo, N, P, Cr and Cu, while Ni decreases the susceptibility to SCC over the whole temperature range investigated.(4) The time to fracture consisted of the induction time and the propagation time. The mechanism of SCC is also discussed here. (Received September 30, 1974) Although there have been numerous reports on the effect of composition on the stress corrosion cracking of austenitic stainless steels in concentrated chloride solutions, few data on the relations between the effect of composition on SCC and environmental factors are available and the majority of the studies are made in boiling The present report describes the experimental results of the effect of composition on SCC of austenitic stainless steels in various concentrated boiling MgCl2 solutions and the significance of boiling 42% MgCl2 solution as accelerating test medium.
MaterialsMaterials were prepared in a high frequency induction furnace as basic 18Cr-10Ni alloy with varying C, Cu, N, P contents and a low Mo content, basic 17Cr-13Ni alloy with varying Si and Mo contents, basic 18Cr alloy with varying Ni content, and basic 10Ni alloy with varying Cr content. As P enhances the susceptibility to SCC in boiling 42% MgCl2 solution(8), the amount of P was adjusted in order to recognize the effects of alloying elements. Specimens were made through series of such processes as forging and hot rolling to 7mm thick plates and cold rolling to 4.9mm thick ones. They were soluquenched and then shaped to tensile test speci-*