Influence of sodium on the low-cycle fatigue behavior of types 304 and 316 stainless steel

Fatigue tests in sodium were conducted to investigate the influence of a high-temperature sodium environment on the low-cycle fatigue behavior of Types 304 and 316 stainless steel. The effects of testing in a sodium environment as well as long-term sodium exposure were investigated. The fatigue tests were conducted at 600 and 7000C in sodium of controlled purity, viz., approximately 1 ppM oxygen and 0.4 ppM carbon, at a strain rate of 4 x 10-3s-1. The fatigue life of annealed Type 316 stainless steel is substantially greater in sodium than when tested in air; however, the fatigue life of annealed Type 304 stainless steel is altered much less when tested in sodium. A 1512-h preexposure to sodium had no significant effect on the fatigue life of Type 316 stainless steel tested in sodium. However, a similar exposure substantially increased the fatigue life of Type 304 stainless steel in sodium. 10 fig