ECSeasonCrackingCausticEmbrittlementIntergranularSSCLMEMICSCCHBHEHICFatigueErosionStrayCurrent

Index

DifferentTypesofCorrosion
Recognition,Mechanisms&Prevention

StressCorrosionCracking(SCC)
Recognition
What is stress corrosion cracking? Stresscorrosion cracking (SCC) is a cracking process that requires the
simultaneousactionofacorrodentandsustainedtensilestress.Thisexcludescorrosionreducedsectionsthatfailby
fast fracture. It also excludes intercrystalline or transcrystalline corrosion, which can disintegrate an alloy without
appliedorresidualstress.Stresscorrosioncrackingmayoccurincombinationwithhydrogenembrittlement.

TheimageofstresscorrosionIsee
Isthatofahugeunwantedtree
Againstwhosetrunkwechopandchop,
Butwhichoutgrowsthechipsthatdrop;
Andfromeachgashmadeinitsbark
Anewbranchgrowstomakemoredark
Theshadeofignorancearounditsbase,
Wherescientiststoilwithpuzzledface.
(bySPRideout1967)
Mechanisms
What causes stress corrosion cracking? Stress corrosion cracking results from the conjoint action of three
components: (1) a susceptible material; (2) a specific chemical species (environment) and (3) tensile stress. For
example, copper and its alloys are susceptible to ammonia compounds, mild steels are susceptible to alkalis and
stainlesssteelsaresusceptibletochlorides.
There is no unified mechanism for stress corrosion cracking in the literature. Various models have been proposed
whichincludethefollowing:
z

Adsorptionmodel:specificchemicalspeciesadsorbsonthecracksurfaceandlowersthefracturestress.

Film rupture model: stress ruptures the passive film locally and sets up an activepassive cell. Newly formed
passivefilmisrupturedagainunderstressandthecyclecontinuesuntilfailure.

Preexistingactivepathmodel:Preexistingpathsuchasgrainboundarieswhereintermetallicsandcompounds

http://www.corrosionclinic.com/types_of_corrosion/stress_corrosion_cracking.htm

areformed.
z

Embrittlementmodel:HydrogenembrittlementisamajormechanismofSCCforsteelsandotheralloyssuchas
titanium.Hydrogenatomsdiffusetothecracktipandembrittlethemetal.

Prevention
Howtopreventstresscorrosioncracking?Stresscorrosioncrackingcanbepreventedthrough:
z
z
z
z
z

AvoidthechemicalspeciesthatcausesSCC.
Controlofhardnessandstresslevel(residualorload).
Introducecompressivestressbyshotpeeningforexample.
Useofmaterialsknownnottocrackinthespecifiedenvironment.
Controloperatingtemperatureand/ortheelectrochemicalpotentialofthealloy.

Formoredetails
Moredetailsonstresscorrosioncrackingareincludedinthefollowingcorrosionshortcourseswhichyoucantakeas
inhousetrainingcourses,onlinecoursesordistancelearningcourses:
CorrosionandItsPrevention(5daymodule)
CorrosionandItsPrevention(2daymodule)
Corrosion,Metallurgy,FailureAnalysisandPrevention(3days)
MarineCorrosion,CausesandPrevention(2days)
MaterialsSelectionandCorrosion(2days)
StainlessSteelsandAlloys:WhyTheyResistCorrosionandHowTheyFail (2days)
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