EFFECTS OF STRAIN RATE, APPLIED POTENTIAL AND TEMPERATURE ON THE STRESS-CORROSION CRACKING OF 304L STAINLESS STEEL IN 5 MOL/l H₂SO₄/0. 1 MOL/l NaCl SOLUTION.

Stress corrosion cracking occurred under the condition where Cl** minus ions acted as a corrosion inhibitor. The stess corrosion morphology changed, depending upon the strain rate and/or the applied potentials. A change of the crack mode is explained by considering both factors of a slip step formation rate and a corrosion rate of slip steps. Although the crack propagation rate increased with increasing strain rate or anodic potential, it did not exceed the slip step formation rate. The crack propagation rate also increased with increasing temperature, excepting a condition under which a repassivation rate increased with temperature. An apparent activation energy of 28 kJ/mol wobtained for the process.