Influence of steel composition on strain induced corrosion cracking and other types of corrosion

Abstract

Purpose

To make clear that C‐steel can differ very much in corrosion resistance under practical conditions only because of differences in chemical composition of the steels.

Design/methodology/approach

In the electricity generating industry, “mild” (i.e. “plain carbon”) and low‐alloyed steels are used in huge quantities, for instance, in boilers, steam generators, heat recovery boilers and waste incineration boilers. The resistance to strain induced corrosion cracking (SICC) was determined by measuring the “repassivation” behaviour of the steels at freshly ground surfaces with an electrochemical technique. The corrosion current measured with time was used to calculate the cracking rates of a compact tension specimen.

Findings

A correlation was found between chemical composition, corrosion resistance to SICC and experiences under practical conditions. The results of early‐published papers on boiler corrosion (testing in FeCl₂ solutions), erosion corrosion (testing in wet steam at 20 bar), nitrate stress corrosion cracking (testing in NH₄NO₃ solutions) and SICC together with those originating from in‐service failures, were compiled into a reference database. This paper is a compilation of this work too.

Originality/value

The database and formulas presented make clear there is often a direct correlation between chemical composition of ordinary C‐steel and mentioned types of corrosion failures. The paper is of importance to designers, failure analysts and researchers.

Citation

Huijbregts, W. and Leferink, R. (2006), "Influence of steel composition on strain induced corrosion cracking and other types of corrosion", Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Vol. 53 No. 1, pp. 3-11. https://doi.org/10.1108/00035590610637410