Constant elongation rate tests and constant load, subcritical crack growth tests were used to investigate the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) susceptibility of metastable (type 301 [UNS(1) S30100]) and stable (type 310S [UNS S30108]) austenitic stainless steels in H2SO4/NaCl aqueous solutions at 25°C.

For annealed type 301, at each pH value there was a critical concentration of Cl− ions required to initiate SCC at 25°C. Using the constant extension rate test with notched specimens, the relation between pH and [Cl−] can be expressed as
By using a sharper, fatigue precrack and a constant load, the critical concentrations of Cl− ions for SCC immunity and active dissolution to occur at 25° can be expressed as:

SCC occurred at intermediate values of pH and [Cl−].

For type 310S, constant extension rate test results were insensitive to the environment, and the constant load test caused SCC to occur only in more acidic solutions than for type 301. The results for type 310S are summarized by:
Subject
Crack growth, Materials, Active dissolution, Fracture surfaces, Crack propagation, Stress cracking, Acidity, Sodium chloride solution, Stainless steel, Alloys, Immunity, Stress corrosion cracking, Martensite
National Association of Corrosion Engineers
1990
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