Tensile stress, corrosion

When sensitive metals are exposed to certain environmental factors or tensile stress, corrosion can occur. Exposure to only a few parts per million of a corrosive agent can initiate stress corrosion in some metals. High concentrations are often not necessary. Also, temperature and pH can be influencing factors. 

Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of stainless steels is caused by the combined effects of tensile stress, corrosion, temperature, and the presence of chlorides. 

Tensile stress corrosion, component immersed in NaOH at 30°C. Observations... 

The retention of strength during tensile stress corrosion in alkali decreases linearly with time on a log—log axis (Figure 9.14). The regression lines giving the failure times under sustained stress show no significant difference between the two types of E-glass. 

Figure 9.14 Tensile stress-corrosion of laminates in sodium hydroxide at 30°C (Munscheck/OCF).

Zirconium resists attack by nitric acid at concentrations up to 70 wt % and up to 250°C. Above concentrations of 70 wt %, zirconium is susceptible to stress-corrosion cracking in welds and points of high sustained tensile stress (29). Otherwise, zirconium is resistant to nitric acid concentrations of 70—98 wt % up to the boiling point. 

Stress corrosion is cracking that develops in sensitive aHoys under tensile stress which is either internally imposed or is a residual after forming, in environments such as the presence of amines and moist ammonia. The crack path can be either intercrystaHine or transcrystaHine, depending on aHoy and environment. Not aH aHoys are susceptible to stress corrosion (31). 

FIG. 28-18 Specimens for stress-corrosion tests, (a) Bent beam, (h) C ring, (c) U Lend, (d) Tensile, (e) Tensile, (f) Tensile, (g) Notched C ring, (h) Notched tensile. ( ) Precracked, wedge open-loading type. (/) Precracked, cantilever beam. [Chem. Eng., 78, 159 (Sept. 20 1971).]... 

Brasses with up to 15 percent Zn are ductile but difficult to machine. Machinability improves with increasing zinc up to 36 percent Zn. Brasses with less than 20 percent Zn have corrosion resistance eqmvalent to that of copper but with better tensile strengths. Brasses with 20 to 40 percent Zn have lower corrosion resistance and are subject to dezincincation and stress-corrosion cracking, especially when ammonia is present. 

Figure 9.1 Stress-corrosion cracks result from the synergistic interaction of tensile stress and a specific corrodent.

All metallic materials can suffer electrolytic corrosion. Fractures caused by cathodic hydrogen only occur when the activity of the absorbed hydrogen and the level of the tensile stress, which can be external or internal, reach a critical value. In general, critical hydrogen absorption is achieved only in the presence of promoters. However, under very severe conditions such as at very low pH or very negative potential, critical hydrogen absorption can occur. Steels with a hardness greater than HV 350 are particularly susceptible. 

Fig. 2-17 Relation between the time to failure by intergranular stress corrosion cracking and potential for tensile specimens of soft iron (a) boiling 55% Ca(N03)2 solution, 5 = 0.65 R a = 0.90 R (b) 33% NaOH, a = 300 N mm, at various temperatures.

Macrostrain is often observed in modified surfaces such as deposited thin films or corrosion layers. This results from compressive or tensile stress in the plane of the sample surface and causes shifts in diffraction peak positions. Such stresses can easily be analyzed by standard techniques if the surface layer is thick enough to detect a few diffraction peaks at high angles of incidence. If the film is too thin these techniques cannot be used and analysis can only be performed by assuming an un-... 

Tensile strength diminishes rapidly with increasing temperature above 200°C. The high-magnesium alloys N5, N6 and N8 should not be used above 65°C because higher temperatures make them susceptible to stress corrosion cracking. 

Figure 4-441. Rate of stress—corrosion crack propagation as a function of crack depth during tensile loading. (From Ref. [183].)...

The conjoint action of a tensile stress and a specific corrodent on a material results in stress corrosion cracking (SCC) if the conditions are sufficiently severe. The tensile stress can be the residual stress in a fabricated structure, the hoop stress in a pipe containing fluid at pressures above ambient or in a vessel by virtue of the internal hydraulic pressure created by the weight of its contents. Stresses result from thermal expansion effects, the torsional stresses on a pump or agitator shaft and many more causes. 

The presence of tensile stress in a metal surface renders that surface more susceptible to many kinds of corrosion than the same material in a non-stressed condition. Similarly, the presence of compressive stress in the surface layer can be beneficial for corrosion behavior. 

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