Mechanism of Stress Corrosion Cracking of Low Alloy Steel in Water

Abstract

Abstract For four low alloy steels with a wide range of tensile strengths, the dynamical processes of the nucleation and propagation of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in water with various polarization conditions and in a inhibitor solution were traced with an optical microscope. The results show that if the tensile strength of the steel is higher than a critical value, which is different in the different polarization conditions, and KI>KISCC, the plastic zone in front of a loaded crack tip is enlarged with time, i.e., the delayed plastic deformation occurs in all the environments used. The nucleation and propagation of SCC will follow when this delayed plastic deformation develops to a critical condition. Neither anodic and cathodic polarization nor the inhibitor can change the feature of the delayed plasticity and the nucleation and propagation of SCC in water. In all the environments used, the KISCC is increased and da/dt is decreased with decreasing strength of the steel. Anodic polarization and the addition of the inhibitor make KISCC increase and da/dt decrease. But cathodic polarization is just opposite.