Environmental Fatigue Behavior of a Z3CN20.09M Stainless Steel in High Temperature Water

Abstract

The low-cycle fatigue behavior of a Z3CN20.09M austenitic stainless steel was investigated and its fatigue life in high temperature water was compared to that in the air at room temperature. It is found that the fatigue life in water at 300 °C was shorter than that in air, and it decreased with the decreasing strain rate from 0.4% to 0.004%/s. The ductile striations having streamed down features were observed at the strain rate of 0.004%/s, indicating that Z3CN20.09M austenitic stainless steel experienced anodic dissolution. The fatigue life obtained in the present experiment was consistent with that using prediction models.