Intergranular corrosion behavior of high nitrogen austenitic stainless steel

The intergranular corrosion (IGC) behavior of high nitrogen austenitic stainless steel (HNSS) sensitization treated at 650-950℃ was investigated by the double loop electrochemical potentiodynamic reactivation (DL-EPR) method. The effects of the electrolytes, scan rate, sensitizing temperature on the susceptibility to IGC of HNSS were examined. The results show that the addi-tion of NaCl is an effective way to improve the formation of the cracking of a passive film in chromium-depleted zones during the reactivation scan. Decreasing the scan rate exhibits an obvious effect on the breakdown of the passive film. A solution with 2 mol/L H₂SO₄+1 mol/L NaCl+0.01 mol/L KSCN is suitable to check the susceptibility to IGC of HNSS at a sensitizing temperature of 650-950℃ at a suitable scan rate of 1.667 mV/s. Chromium depletion of HNSS is attributed to the precipitation of Cr₂N which results in the susceptibility to IGC. The synergistic effect of Mo and N is suggested to play an important role in stabilizing the passive film to prevent the attack of IGC.