High temperature and stress corrosion cracking of 310S austenitic stainless steel in wet chloride corrosive environment

High temperature corrosion and stress corrosion cracking of 310S austenitic stainless steel in wet chloride environment at a high temperature was investigated. The result showed that high temperature corrosion products mostly consisted of ferrous oxides and chromium oxides. Chloride ions attacked a chromium passive film and strongly reacted with iron and chromium. As a result of metal chlorides being volatized, tunnel of pores inside corrosion layer existed. Intergranular stress corrosion cracking was observed. The oxide originated on surface could act as a crack initiator and a crack propagation would progress along grain boundaries and particularly along tunnel of pores. © 2018, Faculty of Metallurgy. All rights reserved.