Influence of impurities on intergranular corrosion of extra high purity austenitic stainless steels

Ioka, Ikuo  ; Suzuki, Jun; Motooka, Takafumi; Kiuchi, Kiyoshi; Nakayama, Jumpei

An intergranular corrosion is an important degradation mechanism of austenitic stainless steels for use in a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant. The intergranular corrosion is caused by the segregation of impurities to grain boundaries. An extra high purity austenitic stainless steel (EHP) was developed with conducting the new multiple refining to suppress the impurities less than 100 ppm. The intergranular corrosion behavior of EHP alloys with various impurities was examined in boiling nitric acid solution. The intergranular corrosion was observed in impurity doped EHP alloys, although no intergranular corrosion was observed in EHP alloy. From the obtained results, an empirical equation between susceptibility of intergranular corrosion and impurities was established by means of the regression analysis. The degree of influence of the impurities on intergranular corrosion was shown.