Martensitic steel is susceptible to stress corrosion cracking in salt solutions. The fracture occurs when a crack forms by intergranular corrosion, followed by rapid but stable growth, characterized by a combination of intergranular and transgranular corrosion and a final abrupt rupture by mechanical means. Microprocesses controlling the intergranular and transgranular corrosion have been identified by the use of fractography, transmission electron microscopy, electron autoradiography and electrochemical measurement techniques. How tempering at high temperatures, polarization and hydrogen concentration of solution modify the microprocesses in stress corrosion of 4340 steel is illustrated.

Subject
Pits, Carbides, Intergranular stress corrosion cracking, Fracture surfaces, Crack propagation, Micrography, Acidity, Stress, Mechanical failure, Steel, Tempering, Stress corrosion cracking, Austenite
© 1966 National Association of Corrosion Engineers
1966
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