On the Role of Grain Size and Carbon Content on the Sensitization and Desensitization Behavior of 301 Austenitic Stainless Steel

oleh: Satish Kolli, Vahid Javaheri, Jukka Kömi, David Porter

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2019-11-01

Deskripsi

The effect of grain size in the range 72 to 190 &#956;m and carbon content in the range 0.105&#8722;0.073 wt.% on the intergranular corrosion of the austenitic stainless steel 301 has been investigated. Grain boundary chromium depletion has been studied directly using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy combined with scanning transmission electron microscopy and indirectly using double loop electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation tests. In addition, chromium depletion has been modelled using the CALPHAD Thermo-Calc software TC-DICTRA. It is shown that the degree of sensitization measured using the double loop electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation tests can be successfully predicted with the aid of a depletion parameter based on the modelled chromium depletion profiles for heat treatment times covering both the sensitization and de-sensitization or self-healing. Additionally, along with intergranular M<sub>23</sub>C<sub>6</sub> carbides, intragranular M<sub>23</sub>C<sub>6</sub> and Cr<sub>2</sub>N nitrides that affect the available Cr for grain boundary carbide precipitation were also observed.