Abstract
The addition of small amounts of N, or larger amounts of Mo, reduces the resistance of austenitic stainless steels to transgranular stress corrosion cracking. Increasing the C or Ni, and perhaps Sn, makes the alloys more resistant to cracking. Composite stress corrosion samples were made in which the test alloys were bonded to a steel which was susceptible to cracking. Results showed good correlation between the times to failure of the experimental alloys when tested alone, and the number of propagating cracks which will penetrate into them. Potential measurements indicate that strain-induced anodic depolarization cannot account for cracking entirely by an electrochemical mechanism. Preference is given to an electrochemical mechanism wherein reaction takes place at sites of structural and composition changes in the steels. These may be formed under the influence of stress, setting up paths of easy localized corrosion.

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