Studying the effect of sensitization on the threshold stress intensity and crack growth for chloride stress corrosion cracking of austenitic stainless steel using circumferential notch tensile technique

This paper discusses determination of threshold stress intensity factor (K-Iscc) and crack growth rate of austenite stainless steel in 42 wt.% MgCl2 environment at 154 degrees C using the circumferential notch tensile (CNT) technique. The K-Iscc and crack growth rate of solution annealed and sensitized AISI 304 stainless steel in chloride environments have been determined using the CNT technique. Valid K-Iscc data have been produced and compared with results obtained by compact tension and double cantilever beam methods. The K-Iscc of sensitized stainless steel is similar to 50% lower than the solution annealed AISI 304 stainless steel. This work investigated the applicability of the CNT technique to determine the K-Iscc of thin and narrow sections of solution annealed and sensitized stainless steel in the chloride environment. This paper also discusses the mechanistic aspects of the difference in fractographic features of the sensitized and solution annealed stainless steel. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.