The effects of microstructure on the sulfide-stress-cracking resistance (SSC) of AISI 4130 steel are illustrated using NACE test method TM0177. SSC resistance was a function of the amount of martensite that formed on quenching, with the best resistance obtained for material that possessed 100 percent martensite. Samples with lesser amounts of martensite exhibited significantly poorer SSC resistance. These data emphasize the need to control microstructure as a means to achieve significant improvements in the SSC resistance of steels, and show that traditional controls on hardness are unreliable and do not uniquely define nor guarantee good SSC resistance. Specifying threshold stress is the most reliable method to ensure a specific or an adequate amount of SSC resistance.

Subject
Rockwell hardness, Materials, Carbides, Yield stress, Microstructure, Hardness measurements, Maximum hardness, Steel, Ferrite, Hardness, Tempering, Martensite, Low alloy steel
Keywords:
sulfide-stress-cracking resistance, microstructure, martensite
© 1995 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
1995
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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