Evaluation of the Susceptibility to Intergranular Corrosion for a Novel Cr-Mn-N Austenitic Stainless Steel Using DL-EPR

Abstract

The sensitization and intergranular corrosion (IGC) behavior of a novel Cr-Mn-N austenitic stainless steel (named as MPMD133) sensitized in the temperature range from 600 oC to 1000oC for 3 hours was investigated by the double loop electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation (DL-EPR) test. The effects of the sensitization temperature on the susceptibility to IGC of MPMD133 were examined in the 0.5M H2SO4 +0.01M KSCN electrolyte solution. The results show that the degree of IGC increases as the sensitization temperature increasing till 900oC. Meanwhile it decreases rapidly when the sensitization temperature is elevated up to 1000oC, which is confirmed by the subsequent optical micrographs observation. The XRD analysis reveals that the precipitation of Cr23C6 leads to chromium depletion along the grain boundaries, consequently results in the susceptibility to IGC.