Evaluation of creep-fatigue damage accumulation by means of electrochemical nondestructive detection method

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In this study, for the purpose of development of a nondestructive detection technique of creep-fatigue damage in Type 316FR stainless steel for fast reactors, application study of electrochemical methods and the Induced Current Potential Drop(ICFPD) was done. Applicability of electrochemical methods to evaluation of grain boundary precipitates which, provide preferred site for cavities was investigated. Anodic polarization curves were measured both in 1N KOH solution and in 1N HSO+KSCN solution. An anodic current peak that, corresponds to preferential dissolution of the grain boundary precipitates was observed in the measurements using in the KOH solutlon. It was suggested that evolution of the grain boundary precipitates which should be associated with creep-fatigue damage can be evaluated by the electrochemical method using KOH solution. The results of reactivation ratio of the material in 1N HSO+KSCN solution, which is recognized as the sensitive indicator of Cr-depletion, suggested a correlation between the reactivation ratio and creep-fatigue damage. Clear differences between the as-received material and the creep-fatigue damaged sample were found in ICFPD results. Although more detailed investigation is required to make a conclusion, it was expected that potential drop can reflect creep-fatigue damage in the microstructure, e.g. precipitates cavities, surface cracks. Based on the preliminaly result, the ICFPD technique may be expected to provide a quantitative monitoring capability of creep-fatigue damage.