Abstract
The environmentally assisted cracking of martensitic stainless steels in gold mine environments has been investigated. The experimental work was focused on the possibility of cracking in type 431 stainless steel and in an experimental material similar to type 420. Four types of mine water were studied, ranging from neutral to acidic, with various chloride contents. Stagnant, anaerobic conditions in two of the waters were simulated in the laboratory by the addition of 25 ppm sulphide ions. Specimen geometries examined included C ring specimens, compact tension specimens, and tensile specimens (type 431); and a notched tension specimen (experimental alloy). C ring specimens of type 431 were inserted into flow loops at two gold mines. Cracking under aerated or flowing conditions at the mines was slow or absent. However, all the alloys examined were susceptible to cracking under the stagnant conditions simulated in the laboratory.
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