If austenitic and duplex stainless steels are heat treated inappropriately their corrosion resistance can decrease locally and they can become susceptible to intergranular corrosion. The Department of Ferrous Metallurgy of Aachen University, Germany developed the potentiostatic Electrochemical Reactivation Test (ERT), which detects the susceptibility to intergranular corrosion fast and almost non destructive. Investigations on unstabilised as well as stabilised steel grades UNS S 30400 [1] and UNS S 32100 are presented in this study and are compared to investigations from literature using the classic Strauss test (ASTM A 262 Practice E). In this context it can be demonstrated that the ERT is much more sensitive in detecting chromium-rich precipitations than the classic method is. First mobile measurements are presented, too.

Subject
Grain size, Test methods, Materials, Electrochemical cells, Precipitation (solids), Inspection, Corrosion detection, Corrosion attacks, Specimen preparation, Steel, Grain boundary, Intergranular corrosion, Heat treatment
Keywords:
ERT, austenitic stainless steel, intergranular corrosion, sensitisation, chromium depletion, UNS S 30400, UNS S 32100, testing method, Strauss test
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2004
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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