Evaluation of radiation-induced sensitization using electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation technique for austenitic stainless steels

The electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation (EPR) test technique was applied to the determination of sensitization in a neutron-irradiated (420 degree C, 10 dpa) titanium-modified austenitic stainless steel. Miniaturized specimens (3 mm diam by 0.25 mm thick) in solution-annealed and 25% cold-worked conditions were tested. The degree of sensitization (DOS) was calculated in terms of the reactivation charge (Pa). Results indicated the occurrence of radiation-induced sensitization when compared to control specimens thermally aged at the irradiation temperature. Post-EPR examination of the specimen surfaces showed etching across the face of each grain as well as at grain boundaries. This indicates that the Pa value normalized by the total grain boundary area, which is an accepted EPR-DOS criterion, cannot be directly used as an indicator of the DOS to determine the susceptibility of this irradiated material to intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC). Further investigations are necessary to correlate the results in this study to the IGSCC susceptibility of the irradiated stainless steel. 26 refs., 7 figs., 3 tabs