The initiation of environmentally assisted cracking (EAC) in simulated boiling water reactor (BWR) high-temperature water was studied using specimens with work-hardened surface layers polished off. Compared to a previous initiation study on specimens with work-hardened surface layers in a similar water environment, it was concluded that a work-hardened surface layer can greatly accelerate EAC initiation in high-temperature water. In addition, it was shown that slip bands produced by the applied tensile stress are not obviously sensitive to EAC. Possible EAC initiation mitigation methods were suggested.

Subject
Environmental cracking, Test methods, Water, Materials, Transmission electron microscopy, Crack initiation, Oxide films, Intergranular cracking, Oxide surfaces, Specimen preparation, Surface layers, Slip, Oxidation
Keywords:
environmentally assisted cracking, high-temperature water, initiation, oxidation, stainless steel, work-hardened surface layer
NACE International
2006
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