Effects of the valence of sulfur, as sulfur oxyanions and sulfide (S 2or HS -), on passivation of alloys 600, 690, and 800 (UNS N06600, N06690, and N08800) in various heat treatments were studied at 25°C and 95°C using potentiodynamic polarization. Effects of scanning rate, sulfur valence, pH, alloy composition, and heat treatment were investigated. In general, stability of passive films was found to decrease with the decrease of sulfur valence from +6 to -2. Alloy 690 in the thermally treated condition tended to be more stable than the various heat treatments of alloys 600 and 800, with some exceptions. Examination of surfaces after polarization over the potential range showed intergranular corrosion occurred mainly in solutions of sulfate (SO 4 instability of protective films was assessed using a stress corrosion cracking (SCC) parameter (P SCC ) that incorporates the ratio of current densities obtained in fast and slow potentiodynamic scans. The relationship of P SCC to the possible occurrence of SCC was discussed.