Corrosion behavior of stainless steels simulating radiation-induced segregation

Miwa, Yukio; Tsukada, Takashi 

Local composition change at grain boundaries due to radiation-induced segregation (RIS) followed by loss of corrosion resistance is considered to be a key mechanism on irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC). However it is not clear that the local composition change induces the loss of corrosion resistance at grain boundaries, because RIS results in not only depletion of Cr but also enrichment of Ni and Si. This chemical composition change is different from that of thermally-sensitized stainless steels. In this study, experimental alloys were manufactured simulating the composition at grain boundaries of irradiated type 304 stainless steel and corrosion behavior of the experimental alloys was examined by weight loss measurement in 573 K water and anode polarization measurement in 1N sulfuric acid and 1mol/l sodium sulfate at 303 K. Following results were obtained: (1) In oxygenated water (DO=10ppm) at 573 K, weight loss increased with decreasing the concentration of Cr and did not depend on the concentration of Ni and Si. (2) Results of anode polarization measurements showed that alloys contained lower Cr and higher Ni and Si concentration exhibited lower corrosion potential in oxygenated, lower pH solution. In de-aerated solutions both sulfuric acid and sodium sulfate, however, there was a little influence of chemical composition on the corrosion potential.