Stress corrosion cracking in 3,5 NiCrMoV steel in a 403 K potential-PH diagram

3,5 NiCrMoV steel is used in low-pressure turbine rotors and discs. It has been pointed out that intergranular stress corrosion cracking may occur in this material in the wet region at temperatures of about 400 K. Accordingly, the authors focused on the environmental conditions under which stress corrosion cracking (SCC) occurs. A potential-pH diagram was used to investigate the region in which SCC occurs in the high strength materials that are particularly susceptible to SCC. The investigation found that SCC is initiated in this material not only in the high caustic region but in the neutral region as well. The investigation also found that initiation and propagation were accelerated in dissolved oxygen environments with increased chemical potential in the neutral region. Since careful observation of the starting point of cracks has shown that corrosion pits trigger SCC, subsequent immersion tests under constant potential were conducted. The results showed that corrosion pits are generated at the high potential range. These results led to the development of an acceleration test environment for laboratory to determine the susceptibility of SCC in field turbine disc and rotor materials. (author)