Effect of cold work on low-temperature sensitization behaviour of austenitic stainless steels

Effects of prior cold work and sensitization heat treatment on chloride stress corrosion cracking in type 304 stainless steels

Austenitic stainless steels are the most favoured construction materials for various components required in chemical, petrochemical, fertiliser and nuclear industries. However, these steels are prone to sensitisation. In the sensitised condition, the steels are quite susceptible to intergranular corrosion and intergranular stress corrosion cracking in chloride and caustic environments resulting in the premature failure of the fabricated components during precommissioning and service periods. The topic of sensitisation has been of interest in studies worldwide. The studies included mechanism of sensitisation, test methods, data generation, and influence of several variables and protection methods. This article covers a review of important contributions to this topic with special emphasis on the influence of metallurgical variables. The present state of understanding is discussed in the following areas: mechanisms, test methods, sensitisation diagrams, influence of chemical composition, cold work and grain size, low temperature sensitisation, modelling and laser surface treatment. The need for further investigation in certain areas is highlighted.

Influence of metallurgical variables on sensitisation kinetics in austenitic stainless steels

Continuous cooling and low temperature sensitization of AISI Types 316 SS and 304 SS With different degrees of cold work

Effects of Deformation (Strain) and Heat Treatment on Grain Boundary Sensitization and Precipitation in Austenitic Stainless Steels

It has been shown that the sensitization of Type 304 stainless steel occurs at temperatures well below the normal isothermal temperature range for sensitization. A prerequisite for this low temperature sensitization (LTS) is the presence of chromium carbide nuclei along grain boundaries. This paper shows that the thermal exposure during welding can nucleate the grain boundary carbides necessary for subsequent LTS. Quantitative transmission electron microscopy studies show that no new carbides nucleate during an LTS heat treatment at 400 C. However, carbides that were nucleated at the time of welding grow during the LTS heat treatment. These findings are consistent with the proposed nucleation and growth LTS model. Using an accelerated test for intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) in high temperature, high purity, 8 ppm oxygen water, it has been found that the rate of LTS in a Type 304 stainless steel weld heat affected zone obeys an Arrhenius temperature dependence which predicts that ...

M. J. Povich

Papers

Low Temperature Sensitization of Welded Type 304 Stainless Steel