Effect of Cold Work on the Stress Corrosion Cracking of Nonsensitized AISI 304 Stainless Steel in High-Temperature Oxygenated Water

Abstract

The effect of cold work on the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of solution-annealed (nonsensitized) AISI(1) 304 stainless steel (SS) in 288 C oxygenated pure water was studied utilizing creviced bent beam (CBB) tests. The SCC susceptibility increased with an increased degree of cold work, especially when above 40%. The relationship between the SCC susceptibility and changes in metallurgical properties was examined to clarify the fundamental factors for SCC. The SCC susceptibility found to be closely related to the existence of crevices, stress, dissolved oxygen, deformation-induced martensite, and work hardening. The role of hydrogen in cracking was also considered.