Chemistry of Grain Boundaries and Its Relation to Intergranular Corrosion of Austenitic Stainless Steel

Abstract

The basis of intergranular corrosion in austenitic stainless steels is examined by relating the grain boundary composition to the corrosion properties. The technique of Auger electron spectroscopy has been used to obtain the chemistry of intergranular fracture surfaces. It was found that the chromium depleted zones exist and that the depletion theory was valid for tests in weakly oxidizing solutions. In highly oxidizing solutions, however, the impurity segregation and not chromium depletion best explains the deterioration of corrosion properties. Impurity elements such as sulfur, silicon, nitrogen, and phosphorous were observed in the various steels examined. An attempt is made to explain the observed corrosion properties on the basis of chromium depletion and solute segregation theories combined with an electrochemical mechanism.