Effect of SRB and Applied Potential on Stress Corrosion Behavior of X80 Steel in High-pH Soil Simulated Solution

Abstract

The effect of SRB and applied potential on the stress corrosion sensitivity of X80 pipeline steel was analyzed in high-pH soil simulated solution under different conditions using a slow strain rate tensile test, electrochemical test, and electronic microanalysis. The experimental results showed that X80 pipeline steel has a certain degree of SCC sensitivity in high-pH simulated solution, and the crack growth mode was trans-granular stress corrosion cracking. In a sterile environment, the SCC mechanism of X80 steel was a mixture mechanism of anode dissolution and hydrogen embrittlement at −850 mV potential, while X80 steel had the lowest SCC sensitivity due to the weak effect of AD and HE; after Sulfate Reducing Bacteria (SRB) were inoculated, the SCC mechanism of X80 steel was an AD–membrane rupture mechanism at −850 mV potential. The synergistic effect of Cl− and SRB formed an oxygen concentration cell and an acidification microenvironment in the pitting corrosion pit, and this promoted the formation of pitting corrosion which induced crack nucleation, thus significantly improving the SCC sensitivity of X80 steel. The strong cathodic polarization promoted the local corrosion caused by SRB metabolism in the presence of bacteria, whereby the SCC sensitivity in the presence of bacteria was higher than that in sterile conditions under strong cathodic potential.