Effect of surface polishing on SCC susceptibility of sensitised type 304 stainless steel

Abstract

The effect of surface polishing on the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) susceptibility of sensitised SUS 304 stainless steel was studied by using the well controlled surface polishing method which has been developed for the surface preparation of the semiconductor material. The SCC susceptibility of the polished specimen was examined by using the slow strain rate testing method, at which the specimen was kept at a constant potential in 0·1M Na₂SO₄ solution kept at 368 K. The most effective suppression effect on the SCC susceptibility was found in the case of surface polishing using alumina slurry, followed by water soluble fullerene and diamond slurry, compared with the mechanical polishing with #0/6 paper. Surface roughness and pitting potential of polished surface were compared with the SCC susceptibility of polished sensitised SUS 304 stainless steel. It was found that the SCC susceptibility was decided mainly by the roughness factor rather than pitting resistance. Experimental evidences suggest that the SCC susceptibility was decided by the crack initiation being controlled by surface roughness.